Mal Fletcher comments on government regulation of the internet

Mal Fletcher

'Democracy,' wrote James Bovard, 'must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.'

If proposed new legislation on the tracking of social media conversations is passed in Westminster, British democracy may well move a step closer to this scenario.

The Government's powerful security forces may, at least in the public's perception, become online wolves, ganging up on the humble sheep of the electorate to redefine the cybersphere.

British Home Secretary Theresa May is committed to including a new Communications Data Bill within the Queen's Speech next month.

Cyber-security experts, including top-tier academics from both Cambridge and Oxford Universities, are warning that the measures will undermine the privacy of citizens.

Backbenchers from both wings of the coalition government are also opposed to the Bill, the main thrust of which was first proposed by the previous Labour Government. It was abandoned after an outcry from privacy advocates.

Essentially, the present Bill purports to bring police powers up to date, so that they are in line with the increasingly sophisticated use of the internet by criminals. However, it would allow the security forces to track people's email, web and social media usage.

The proposed legislation would not, at least in its present form, allow police to read the content of messages or emails, but they would be free to track who sent what to whom, and when.

Security forces could then apply for a warrant to read actual content. Presumably, these warrants would be granted relatively readily. (Otherwise what would be the point of having such legislation?) And police or the security forces of GCHQ would be free to target very specific exchanges.

Critics of the Bill say that it is an attempt to foist upon the internet a system of surveillance that was introduced for telephone technology. They say that not enough thought has been given to the unique nature, opportunities and challenges presented by the internet.

Without having been able to read the entire Bill, or its full summary, I foresee at least three problems with the proposed Bill in terms of its social impact.

Speaking to a conference of entrepreneurs in Portugal recently, I shared the remarkable story of Salvatore Iaconesi.

An Italian artist and robotics engineer, Iaconesi was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. He decided to open source his condition by placing all of his medical records online.

He set up a site promoting the idea of an open source cure, inviting people to suggest treatments, or at least ways of managing his condition. Within the first month, he had 200,000 responses, including many from other patients and doctors.