[kirklancaster]

I admit to being totally undecided about this issue and cannot really add much to what Josy, Nedusa, Alex, and Arista have already said.

I don't really have a problem with Governments 'investigating' suspicious citizen's where they feel National Security may be compromised, but I am not in favour of 'information gathering' of 'ordinary' citizens who have never given reasons to be suspected of terrorism or similar.

My primary, and very real concern with the above, is Human Fallibility. There is already evidence of Data Bases and Personal Details being sold by corrupt individuals within our Police Service, Vehicle Registration Centre, Local Government and God only knows who else. Money is the great corrupter, and while ever interested parties are covertly willing to pay for Personal Data about people, then there are, or will be sooner than later, corrupt individuals within 'Official' organisations who have access to such information who are eager to trade.

As Nedusa said: "Who watches the watchers".

Uncomfortable stuff.