Internet giants line up against Snooper’s Charter

The Guardian reports exclusively today that Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo! and Twitter have dismissed the UK government’s Communications Data Bill (aka the Snooper’s Charter. Ed.) and its plans to track the email, internet and social media of everyone in the UK as “expensive to implement and highly contentious”.

The revelation comes from a letter dated 18th April signed by the five companies named above to Home Secretary Theresa May that was leaked to the newspaper. The letter itself forms part of a series of continuing confidential discussions between the industry and the Home Office. It also says that May’s “core premise” to create a new retention order requiring overseas internet companies to store the personal data of all their British-based users for up to 12 months has “potentially seriously harmful consequences”.

The companies also state the Home Office’s plans would threaten the open nature of the internet and would undermine their ability to offer a global service by companies working within the legal framework of their home jurisdiction.