If you use the internet in Britain, every time you click your mouse, someone will be recording when you access a page, from where, and who sends a message.
The British government intends for telecommunications companies to collect this data to combat crimes such as terrorism or pedophilia.
UK Home Secretary Jacqui Smith confirmed that her government will not create a centralized database, but will instead task companies with monitoring every email sent and every phone call made.
This plan includes the storage of user data from social networks such as Facebook or Twitter.
“Communications data is an essential tool for law enforcement agencies to track down murderers and pedophiles, save lives, and pursue crime,” Smith said.
Data, but not content
According to the BBC's Home Office correspondent, Dominic Casciani, this project will allow operators to record access to social networks, but never the content, and they will be able to keep the information for one year.
Companies will know when you log into, for example, Facebook, who you leave a message for, from which computer and at what time, but they are not allowed to control the message itself.
The British government will compensate these operators with £2 billion (almost US$3 billion) for the costs they incur in monitoring this type of information, which must be available to the police, intelligence services and other agencies that combat terrorism in the UK.
According to Casciani, the Labour administration decided to promote this plan, which could come into effect in July, due to the increase in internet communications at the expense of the telephone, and the proliferation of criminals who hide behind the anonymity of the network.
Big Brother?
The Liberal Democratic Party did not welcome the ministry's proposal.
According to one of its spokespeople, Chris Huhne, "care must be taken to find the balance between the powers to investigate and the right to privacy.".
Another critic was the group NO2ID ('No to ID cards'). Its secretary general, Guy Herbert, argued that ‘officials from dozens of departments and agencies could know what you read, who your friends are, who you email, and when and where you were when you did it. All without any guarantee.’.