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[Imperialism (abroad) is perhaps not possible without tyranny at
home?]<br>
<h1 class="title-news"> Tim Berners-Lee Slams Government Web
Monitoring Plans </h1>
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<p> <span class="posted-and-updated"> Posted: 18/04/2012 08:14
Updated: 18/04/2012 08:21 <span class="ap"><img
src="cid:part1.05050607.04080500@gmail.com" alt="PA"
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<p>Controversial government plans to allow intelligence agencies to
monitor the calls, emails, texts and website visits of every
person in the UK should be scrapped, the inventor of the world
wide web has said.</p>
<p>Sir Tim Berners-Lee warned that the "dangerous" new laws would
lead to a "destruction of human rights" if they were implemented
in their current form.</p>
<p>The new legislation, expected in next month's Queen's Speech,
will enable GCHQ to access information "on demand" in "real time"
without a warrant.</p>
<p>But the British computer engineer, who advises the Government on
how to make public data more accessible, said there has not been
enough discussion on how the sensitive data could be safely
stored.</p>
<p>In an interview with The Guardian Sir Tim said: "The idea that we
should routinely record information about people is obviously very
dangerous.</p>
<p>"It means that there will be information around which could be
stolen, which can be acquired through corrupt officials or corrupt
operators, and (could be) used, for example, to blackmail people
in the Government or people in the military.<br>
"We open ourselves out, if we store this information, to it being
abused."</p>
<p>The internet pioneer added: "The amount of control you have over
somebody if you can monitor internet activity is amazing.<br>
"You get to know every detail, you get to know, in a way, more
intimate details about their life than any person that they talk
to because often people will confide in the internet as they find
their way through medical websites....or as an adolescent finds
their way through a website about homosexuality, wondering what
they are and whether they should talk to people about it."</p>
<p>The Home Secretary Theresa May defended the proposals after they
faced fierce criticism from backbench MPs and civil liberties
groups.</p>
<p>She insisted that suspected terrorists, paedophiles and serious
criminals would be targeted by intelligence officials rather than
ordinary people.</p>
<p>Sir Tim said that if the government pushes ahead with the plans a
"very strong independent body" would have to be set up to
scrutinise the use of the powers.</p>
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