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ARTICLE · 02 DECEMBER 2015

UK Investigatory Powers Bill: Big Brother 2.0?

Reed Smith (Worldwide)
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On 4 November an Investigatory Powers Bill (‘Bill') which could overhaul internet surveillance in the UK was introduced to the House of Commons.

United KingdomPrivacy
Cynthia O'Donoghue
Cynthia O'Donoghue
Chantelle Taylor
Chantelle Taylor
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On 4 November an Investigatory Powers Bill ('Bill') which could overhaul internet surveillance in the UK was introduced to the House of Commons.

If enacted, the Bill will allow security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to access the metadata (i.e. the who, what, when and where) of every UK citizen's internet use. The Bill also grants investigatory powers to governmental agencies, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Information Commissioner.

Its predecessor, known by some as the 'Snooper's Charter', was criticised for being overly intrusive with proposals for a ban on encryption and the requirement to retain third party data. Today, the 299-page Bill has been watered down to some extent, but privacy concerns remain.

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