Government to demand more consumer data from online firms
Home secretary Theresa May has announced that new measures forcing companies to pass consumer data on to police would improve national security.
If agreed, the new law would require firms to retain data linking devices to users under the Anti-Terrorism and Security Bill, the BBC reported on Sunday.
According to the Home Office, this endeavour would help police capture organised criminals, cyber-bullies and hackers, terror suspects and paedophiles, as well as vulnerable people endangering themselves or threatening suicide online.
However, critics have warned that the new measure expected to enter the Commons this week is nothing more than a “snooper’s charter” that will be abused.
May told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that the bill would help the government “deal with the increased threat that we now see.”
"This is a step but it doesn't go all the way to ensuring that we can identify all the people we will need to.”
Tory backbencher David Davis queried this view on the show, asking: “Do you absolutely trust the people doing this never to make a mistake... never to misuse it?”
The new addition to the bill would force companies to keep data about people's online conversations, social media activity, calls and texts for 12 months.