RIPA sets out rules which must be followed by law enforcement
and other public sector bodies when they want to monitor and access
e-mail, web and telephone communications for the purpose of
criminal investigations.
Computer Weekly reports that the Home Office aims to identify
the main privacy and human rights concerns associated with RIPA.
The consultation process, scheduled for early next year, will have
two objectives.
First, to determine which government agencies should be
authorised to access communications data under RIPA. Second, to
finalise a voluntary code of practice for telcos and ISPs to retain
and store such data over extended periods under the Anti-Terrorism
Crime and Security Act.
The ISP industry recently rejected a Home Office request to
voluntarily retain customer data under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and
Security Act, due to cost and privacy concerns. However, if the
voluntary code when prepared is not followed, it is expected that
it will simply be made a mandatory requirement of ISPs.
