UK Police aquire tech to remotley intercept/track shut down mobiles

Close your eyes and imagine a police state, where you have no real control over your life. In your imagination, how many people are using a mobile phone? None? This, scarily is the world that the Met police force would like to see in place, if their latest purchase is to be believed. According to the Guardian, they have the kit in place to force phones in a 10km circle to hand over their IMEI and IMSI numbers, which can then be used to track the phone in real time.

Worse still is that the Met are refusing to reveal whether the system has been used in anger or not. How did we end up in a world where the police can track you via your mobile phone, without a warrant, along with hundreds of others, and then refuse to tell the public about it when asked? The simple reality is that the police are becoming less and less a public service and more a tool of the government, and our lives are becoming less and less our own.

UK Judge hands American big copyright a blank cheque to filter the internet

As you may recall, back in July, a UK judge ordered BT to block newzbin at the request of the big copyright lobby in the states. This has now been given a date - BT have 14 days to enact this requirement.

The interesting (And by interesting I mean utterly ridiculous) part is that the ruling states that BT must also block "any other IP address or URL whose sole or predominant purpose is to enable or facilitate access to the Newzbin[2] website". What this means is that the companies that brought this suit can simply decide they don't like a website, and tell BT to block it.

Now, I know what your thinking. Your thinking that this only applies to newzbin, right? Wrong, it also applies to "any other IP address or URL whose sole or predominant purpose is to enable or facilitate access to the Newzbin website". So sure, that sounds straightforward. But what if a site has a newsbinz search engine? What if it links to a few choice downloads? What if it just links to newsbinz homepage? What if it just links to copyright material full stop? It will take time, but we will see this ruling allow the yank copyright lobby exert a tighter and tighter grip on our internet connections.

I can't even attempt to convey my feelings on this, that someone could have this little understanding or respect for our freedom, is beyond words. All I will say is, it is my fervent hope, as society starts to wake up to the realisation that it is now a possession of the government and big corporations, that this judge will realise the part his ignorance played in the downfall. Frankly, I hope the guilt kills him.