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How is the government storing legally privileged information at all lawful? And Amber Rudd wonders why respectable technologists sneer at her - maybe it's becau

by jarym 9y ago

How is the government storing legally privileged information at all lawful? And Amber Rudd wonders why respectable technologists sneer at her - maybe it's because they've read 1984 and want to do what they can to stop the madness!

JumpCrisscross 9y ago
> How is the government storing legally privileged information Are these legally-privileged data in the United Kingdom?
- whiteandnerdy 9y ago
  Yes, I believe so. Definition of sensitive data: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/2 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/2 Some legal restrictions on processing said data: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/part/II https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/part/II However, it's not clear to me to what degree, if any, security agencies are exempt from the Data Protection Act.
  - pja 9y ago
    There's a sweeping exemption from the DPA for the purposes of "national security". Any minister can issue a certificate stating that a given activity is for the purposes of national security and therefore exempt & these certificates can be issued retrospectively. It's all laid out in section 28 of the DPA: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/28 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/28
    - 103e 9y ago
      I wonder if their industry partners are similarly indemnified...
    - lostboys67 9y ago
      but there are also protections e.g. if they come across evidence of stuff that is not related to national security it is ignored.
turblety 9y ago
One thing we're learning is that the UK government can do whatever it wants. Who is going to stop it breaking it's own laws? The UK people have been educated in an obedience system (where they actually all wear a uniform) and are taught to do what they're told without challenge. The result is a large population of people who can not think for themselves and believe that the government is like a big parent who can keep them nice and safe. For years the UK at least had the EU who has some laws protecting people, but they've even convinced these obedient lemmings to leave the only union protecting their rights. One of the biggest problems with government and law is that the people will only fight for what they want, not what they already have. Meaning history will always repeat itself, laws will be passed when people become repressed, then repealed as soon as people forget.
- switch007 9y ago
  > One thing we're learning is that the UK government can do whatever it wants This shouldn't be news for anyone who's lived here a few years, with a basic understanding of UK politics. The acrid stench of arrogance and righteousness that emanates from Westminster travels to the far corners of these isles.
  - pjc50 9y ago
    Vindictiveness, enabled by the newspapers, is a big part of this as well. A large chunk of the public don't want rights for everyone; they would actually prefer a system where the police beat confessions out of suspects and people are fitted up for crimes because they're a minority who happened to be near it.
- vixen99 9y ago
  'its own laws'
- Chriky 9y ago
  The UK government, along with all major political parties, campaigned AGAINST leaving the EU. I know HN loves its skin deep political analysis but this really is weak.

by jarym 9y ago

JumpCrisscross 9y ago

> How is the government storing legally privileged information Are these legally-privileged data in the United Kingdom?

whiteandnerdy 9y ago
Yes, I believe so. Definition of sensitive data: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/2 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/2 Some legal restrictions on processing said data: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/part/II https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/part/II However, it's not clear to me to what degree, if any, security agencies are exempt from the Data Protection Act.
- pja 9y ago
  There's a sweeping exemption from the DPA for the purposes of "national security". Any minister can issue a certificate stating that a given activity is for the purposes of national security and therefore exempt & these certificates can be issued retrospectively. It's all laid out in section 28 of the DPA: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/28 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/section/28
  - 103e 9y ago
    I wonder if their industry partners are similarly indemnified...
  - lostboys67 9y ago
    but there are also protections e.g. if they come across evidence of stuff that is not related to national security it is ignored.

turblety 9y ago

One thing we're learning is that the UK government can do whatever it wants. Who is going to stop it breaking it's own laws? The UK people have been educated in an obedience system (where they actually all wear a uniform) and are taught to do what they're told without challenge. The result is a large population of people who can not think for themselves and believe that the government is like a big parent who can keep them nice and safe. For years the UK at least had the EU who has some laws protecting people, but they've even convinced these obedient lemmings to leave the only union protecting their rights. One of the biggest problems with government and law is that the people will only fight for what they want, not what they already have. Meaning history will always repeat itself, laws will be passed when people become repressed, then repealed as soon as people forget.

switch007 9y ago
> One thing we're learning is that the UK government can do whatever it wants This shouldn't be news for anyone who's lived here a few years, with a basic understanding of UK politics. The acrid stench of arrogance and righteousness that emanates from Westminster travels to the far corners of these isles.
- pjc50 9y ago
  Vindictiveness, enabled by the newspapers, is a big part of this as well. A large chunk of the public don't want rights for everyone; they would actually prefer a system where the police beat confessions out of suspects and people are fitted up for crimes because they're a minority who happened to be near it.
vixen99 9y ago
'its own laws'
Chriky 9y ago
The UK government, along with all major political parties, campaigned AGAINST leaving the EU. I know HN loves its skin deep political analysis but this really is weak.