Relax everyone! The Government may be intent on 'processing' its citizens from individuals into compliant drones and blocked all means of legitimate protest - but there are things which can be done: Swap phones with friends, send letters instead of emails - but most importantly, USE YOUR VOTE

Max, Leeds,

Soon half the country will be employed to watch the other half...
We have to find causes of problems and not effects...

Manos, London, UK

The thought police are already here, think about it!

If we all adopt the word 'bomb', meaning something positive, then the thought police will be totally confused.

'I hope this comment goes like a bomb.'

Dave Kinsley, Derby, UK

Dont "run away" from the Britain!!

We need to sort our own country out, it's no good emigrating and coming back when you've left it to the brave people to sort out, your not British if you run!

Have some spine and stand up for your country and liberties, the threat is domestic this time!!!

Andrew , North, England,

It's like "V for Vendetta" is about to become the reality of Britain. Next is the Thought Police.

Scott MacDonald, Sundre, Canada

I will just stop using mobiles and internet
i will write letters and read books instead
I will watch more tv and go to concerts
I wont bother with the net.

If they start opening my mail I will leave the UK.

andy, London, UK

There is only one problem

When the electricity gets turned off for a few hours every day as it will come the next few years then where will the electronics work?

Time to get out of Britain.. while you still can

Henry North, London, UK

Eleanor of Yorkshire, you're exactly right! Maybe it's not a serious attempt to turn us into mindless drones, it's only lazy people finding a way out of work! Like every government worker at every level! That makes me feel much better, for some sad reason. Human folly/flaw, not meant to control.

PJWrites, Clearwater, USA

Surveillance cameras on every corner, 1000's of speed cameras making even careful drivers paranoid, a ban on protests anywhere near the seat of government and now a database of virtually every form of personal communication! These Stalinistic control freaks must go - and soon.

Oxford Don, Oxford, UK

We knew of this in 1987.

So many people were asleep, and handed over our power to the Gov.

They are OUR SERVANTS.!!!

We are not theirs.

We pay their wages.

We are the majority, so we vote them out fast.

V For Vendetta springs to mind.

Lady Portia, London, UK

Try "Ghost Surf" it hides your IP address and routes your data through annonymous hubs

dave gorman, stowbridge, uk

And I bet the project overruns, goes over budget, is full of bugs and somebody leaves the database on a seat in McDonalds. The phrase sledgehammer and nuts comes to mind. It's not about terrorism, it's about controlling the populace. I'll start encrypting my e-mails, now where's my copy of PGP?

Ron, Milton Keynes, Bucks

Look out for who owns shares in the company that writes the database program. They will go up faster than the cost of doing it.

Ron, Milton Keynes, Bucks

Vive la Revolution !

Howard, London, UK

Your answer is to make Jeremy Clarkson Prime Minister.

paul, Milton Keynes,

"In russian they use tax fraud to 'get' people who dare to have an opinion"
Please, visit Russia and do not read the news about.

Hassan, Doha,

I wish I could be part of that public project. 100M per year for 10 years - what a moneyspinner. 3 years consultancy. 1 year feasibility study. 2 years planning, 1 years development, then it gets cancelled.

George, Watford, UK

Setting aside the very good arguments on cost and practicability the real issue is that the state exisits to serve the people, the people do not exist to serve the state!

George Brittain, York,

People Should not fear their governments - Governments should fear their people.

Adam Bastock, Rugby,

Can someone say THE BEAST has arrived !!

Natalia, Philadelphia, United States

Cripes! So the Government will know about my frequent visits to Tranmere Rovers websites and when I don't fancy going to see a particular chick flick that my wife fancies? Pity the poor civil servant who gets that job!

David Sindall, London,

Interesting comment from China of all places but never the less very apt.

mike gee, bournemouth, uk

Look this country was built by blood and the word of God,and as it was said long ago give me liberty or give me death.This is the land of freedom,its wrong for your fear to invade the privacy of others,whats next a wall all around USA.

Dwayne, kokomo, USA

Where is your human right?
Where is your democracy?

Pal, Daqing, China

I am reminded of the movie, "V for Vendetta."

Matt, San Diego, California, USA

There are some talented engineers roaming around the UK that can trash this alleged system without too much difficulty..

juan valdez, mission viejo, us

A guy I know worked for IBM years ago. He told me that this stuff has been in place for years. It was my assumption that phone calls and Internet traffic were stored for 6 months already.

Same thing in the States by the way, so I wouldn't get too smug over there.

Martin, Solihull,

The database already exists, all this is is an attempt to legalise its usage. Data mining of files saved in plain text is relatively easy. These techniques quietly and effectively allow security services to monitor suspects. The price of the freedom we have in the UK is surveillance, not nice, oh...

Adrian, Hitchin, UK

Gemma, I agree.

A lovely young man was brutally killed in our town last Autumn.

Right under the eye of a CCTV camera which had recently been installed.

Guess what, it was switched off...

Why? It was only on a trial period, and it had been decided that it was too expensive to operate.

Louise , Mirfield, West Yorkshire, uk

If Google has their way, this database won't be needed. They seem determined to stop access to email (again). How can Google possibly hope to grow when they cannot even provide a reliable email facility?

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This country has never had the freedoms we all aspire to, there is a law to cover every eventuality if those in power so choose to use them. Our strongest argument is direct action en mass (The French know this) , the trouble is the sheep have been so used to being rounded up they refuse to move.

mike gee, bournemouth, uk

Here's a radical idea - why don't we change our Foreign Policy.

That has massively more chance of reducing "terrorism" (i.e. people responding to us invading/bombing their country) than putting us under total surveillance.

Clive, Surrey,

Have you reduced the amount of space for comments?

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Now living in Australia - the land of the free...I'd fully reccomend it!

Victoria, Sydney,

Welcome to 1984!!!

Scott, Aberdeen,

At Last an excuse for losing excess baggage.

I can stop using the following items:

My Computer
My Phone
My Bank
My Car

Gordon has lost the plot once again and like mugs we stand for it.

mike, leeds,

It would help if Gordon Brown gives me his email address, I can then forward every email I receive to him to browse at his leisure. This will also save him doing it covertly. Of course, I will want to see all of his emails as well!

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Working closey with an ISP, they have calculated that 1 month storage of all emails and web pages visited would equal aproximately a petabyte of storage space (1 petabyte is 1000 terrabytes!) That is one ISP and for one month! - How on earth does the government plan to store these volumes of data?

Ben, Newbury,

Somebody mentioned encryption to preserve our privacy. It's a good thing the terrorists don't know what that means...

jite, london,

in America, the government still trusts the citizens with self defense (except for the antiguns liberals) any criminal found in my house will be lucky to live to see the police.

British citizens have been disarmed by their governmnet, adn now they are lossing all privacy.

dave, redwood, USA

It's a joke, but then again so are we!

Fuel prices, stealth taxes, etc, we all comlain about them but no one actually sticks together and gets something done about it.

We're being walked all over every day by the govt, but hey, no one seems to care enough to fight them. Whats that all about?

J Carnochan, Scotland,

We may have the highest concentration of CCTV cameras but guess what - they are pretty much useless unless you get stabbed or murdered! After reporting vandalism to my car, with a witness who saw the guy who did it, police refused to check CCTV footage until threated with media exposure ..........

Gemma, Notts,

..there were 3 cameras watching the area my car was in , a witness gave us a time period. Unfortunately, we weren't surprised..... after a previous incident we got info under the freedom act - amount of times police had checked CCTV footage for any crime in our area ever = zero!

Gemma, Notts,

Yet another example of a Government who's forgotten that they serve the public and a public so apathetic that the government can get away with it. Save the money, Gordy and spend it on something the public needs like education or healthcare.

J. Duff, London, UK

Lee, Stuart, Clare etc:
I'm glad you're certain you have nothing to hide. I hope you're equally certain all your friends/family have nothing to hide, that your identitiy hasn't yet been stolen and that no-one dislikes you enough to use a string of false data to fit you up for a crime you didn't do

Jago, southampton,

Outraged so I looked up my local (Labour) MP's website to express my concern. Unfortunately I found that she openly admits to being an admirer of the East German social system. Oh dear.

Ruth, Cumbernauld, UK

I cannot believe this is even being considered. It is not needed nor feasible nor helpful.
The volume of info for one database has never been done.
Would anyone ever find anything in it?
How could you ensure security and be sure that the info that was being retrieved was actually sent?

W J Kruszynska, Lyhtam St Annes, UK

Its ridiculous that this should even be considered. The government has trouble dealing with small tasks and keeping small amounts of data secure, imagine the possibilities to terrorists or criminals if they somehow got access to billions of different data, the effect would be catastrophic.

Dan Howard, Ladysmith, BC, Canada

The only terrorists you will catch with be the “really stupid” ones.
I remember the old days of book ciphers. (Page, line, word)
Here in the USA the drug dealers would use them on the phone to send covert messages back in the 80’s.
Without knowing the book and the code you have nothing.

mindy, Santa Clara, USA

Here's a clever idea. Imagine you're a terrorist. When you phone your terrorist friends, instead of saying 'plant the bomb', say 'plant the apple.'
How will MI5 know that 'apple' means 'bomb'?
Good thing that terrorists are too stupid to think of that.
Isn't it?

p hechter, Boston, UK

A lot of anger has, quite rightly, been expressed in this column.

However, this latest attack on the British people is a drop in the ocean compared to the horrors of the database state that New Labour hopes to impose on us after the next general election.

See www.no2id.net for further details.

Brian Drury, London Colney, USSE

Terrorists have won!

jayil, london, uk

For those of you who wish to circumvent this system the answer is simple:

When sending email encrypt them. There are plenty of free solutions.

When browsing the net use 'Tor'. Tor needs a bit of work to setup properly but in essence can completely hide your data and where you are connecting to.

Paul Sullivan, Chester, Good ol' UK

David: "It doesnt matter who is in 'power' ... the agenda is still served, when will we wake up to he falshood of it all."

Well it does matter. It's vital to know specifically which individuals are behind the agenda of which you speak, so that their plans can be derailed. More details please.

Adam, Hastings, UK

It is about time that we stood up to be counted, we have an elected government that is far from transparent, our elected representative look after themselves. It is time for the English to reclaim our freedoms, time to say enough to those politicians who forget they are civil "servants"

Geoff Ambrose, Southampton,

I suggest that the establishment takes time out to read a poem.
The Secret People
by G.K.Chesterton
It ends---
It may be we are meant to mark with our riot and our rest
God's scorn for all men governing. It may be beer is best.
But we are the people of England; and we have not spoken yet.

Geoff Ambrose, Southampton,

Our american cousins seem to be unaware that their library loans are monitored already. You'd better take that book you borrowed on "How to make bombs and blow people up" back before the FBI comes knocking on your door. Security, schmecurity.

Michele John, Saumur, France

watch Zeitgeist the movie, your rights are slowly diminishing.
be afraid.. be very afraid

mike, wrexham, Wales

This Government can not keep the data they have on the public without loosing it - so what chance do they have of keeping phone/text messages,e-mails and surfing habits etc.
How long will it be before those records are Lost,stolen left on a PC and NICKED??????

Allan Pointon, Stafford, UK

I'm sure we could cut the risk of terrorism and crime by insisting that there be a camera and bug in every house, but where does this logic end? If these measures succeed the government would be collecting more information on supposedly 'free' people than the Stasi did in East Germany.

Christian, Canterbury, UK

Why does the government think we would prefer to be safe than free? The US had to choose between the two before now: when they chose to rebel against the English. They chose to uphold their freedoms and liberties rather than remain lorded over and remain safe. I'd be free over safe any day.

Nick Burns, Nottingham,

This plan will never get approved. Contrary to what many people think, Parliament isn't crazy. They didn't go with the extension on holding people without charge, and they sure as heck won't go through with this. It's just a random committee with stupid crazy ideas.

Zhou Fang, Cambridge,

This is what the public deserve though isnt it?

"don't worry about it dear, it's not that bad"
"don't think about it dear, it'll all go away"

Good old British mediocrity.

simon, oxford, uk

travelling from england back to denmark earlier this year and I had 4 jars of quality peanut butter removed from my luggage by customs. I was raised and taught that 'WE WILL NEVER GIVE INTO TERRORISM'. When asked at what density a substance must be to qualify as a liquid i was threatened with arrest

julian, aarhus, denamrk

Seems strange that the government plan to keep these records for up to 4 years. They couldn't keep Tony Blairs expense account for more 2 DAYS after it was announced that they should show these documents to the public. Cyanical... ?You betcha.

Alan, London,

i was taught at school that the former russian union was bad because: everything you say is monitored, everywhere you go is monitored, everything you do is monitored and descent of your country's regime is an imprisonable offence. well, surprise surprise.

julian, aarhus, denamrk

We've lost the right to silence; the right to trial by jury; 42 day detention erodes habeas corpus; it is an offense not to hand over passwords when requested now the gov seek to have direct access to everything we write or read online and who we call. Sleepwalking? It's time we woke up!!!

Richard, Crossford, UK

This would have made Stalin green with envy. What is it that goes on in Nu Labour heads? Their totalitarian streak is very strong.

Dave, Wrexham,

This is getting ridiculous. Whats ever will be next? I looks as if I will soon become one of many to emigrate.

Graham , Cardiff, Wales

I hope that the TIMES collects all 300+ comments and send them to 10 Downing Street.

M. Cawdery, Portadown, Co. UK, EU

Steve - easy. Everything transcribes down to text, & run grep over it. Grep searches for a list of terms. Any phonecalls, emails, etc, etc, that match, dump the correspondents to a watch list. Once you're on the watch list it's a simple matter to get you under house arrest or detained without charge

Matt, Inverness,

This is unbelievable, soon there will be cameras that watch you taking a number 2 that will be fed all the way to MI5 Headquarters.

Ridiculuous, I have never heard of a more fundamental disregard for privacy and human rights than this.

Sam, Newbury,

I find it interesting that the opening comments;
AP Bath says 'always more than meets the eye with Labour.'
Adam Hastings, Do they think they will still be in power to advance this.

It doesnt matter who is in 'power' ... the agenda is still served, when will we wake up to he falshood of it all.

David, Newcastle,

The only thing that has changed is that it is now technically possible to monitor all communications, opening everyone post was not possible to it was targeted at those under suspicion.

John Dyer, Reading,

This is about population monitoring and control not fighting terrorism. The technology already exists to avoid detection via PAYG, proxies and encrpytion. Another pointless policy from Labour. They really are a bit confused. Why have they not noticed they cannot afford to loose anymore votes!!

John, Inverness,

I'm outraged.

My uncles and grandparents fought in two world wars to guarantee our future freedoms which are being legislated away from under our noses as I type.

Along with excessive taxation, this will ensure that Labour spends the next twenty years a fringe opposition party. Rightly so.

Paul, London, National Socialist UK

And we wonder why we don't get a referendum?

ian, London, UK

This is worse tham anything the Russians imposed on their population in the Cold War. And the UK would complain all the time about that. Now we are to have worse here in the UK. this isn't monitoring terrorism, it is a blatant invasion of civil liberty and should be resisted very strongly.

Nigel Peacock, Crowborough, East Sussex

this is not really to fight terroism or crime? theres plenty of ways of communicating with out being heard and the gov knows this which is worrying! this is a law set to dupe the average joe... its time to leave the country....

MM, Manchester, UK

To combat crime and terrorism? Absolute codswallop!
This just another part of the Liebour Party's totalitarian jigsaw for control of the masses.
Perhaps the time has come for a campaign of civil disobedience to stop this latest bright idea in its tracks?

Bob Christie, Fife, Scotland

The illusion that the English government had protected its citizens by disarming them seemed credible because few realized the country had an astonishingly low level of armed crime even before guns were restricted. A government study for the years 1890-92, for example, found only three handgun homicides, an average of one a year, in a population of 30 million. In 1904 there were only four armed robberies in London, then the largest city in the world.

Peter Morson, leicester, UNunited kingdom

If you have nothing to hide then what's the issue? The police/special branch can already pretty much track the movements of anyone they want anyway, so is this really any different to how we live now?

I'd be surprised if Telecommunications companies didn't hold telephone records anyway.

Sam, Portsmouth, UK

George Orwells 1984 looms closer everyday!

Neville Scollop, Munich, Germany

Next they will keep records of all post sent by snail mail!
They really are neurotic!

Dave Jackson, Norwich, UK

What are the government so scared of.
Get on with harumphing in the house of commons and leave us alone. No one want to live in Orwell's 1984...
If we all didn't vote for anyone could we not just turn the HP into a TV show and then film them instead??

Scott McKinlay, london, UK

You have to have more than two brain cells to rub together to come up with an idea like this.
Where did they find all these brainy people with full 3 brain cells?

Dick, Hong Kong,

We mustn't forget that America wants to know what you're getting up too! And as America's spy and saboteur in the E.U. Britain must carry out Uncle Sam's bidding - re-routing the intel it gets via such systems as 'Echelon', etc.

John Roberts, Rawmarsh, United Kingdom

For your own and international security,Brits! Gotta to learn to be watched. You'll get used!
I think that these terrorrists are not that nuts to stick on modern communications. That's easily trackable!!!
My guess is that they rely on hand to hand mail carriers like in older times.

Florence Messi, Rockville, USA

The economy is a mess, the country is overrun with foreign criminal gangs operating with impunity, healthcare and education are in chaos, drugs are flooding into our country etc etc. Solution - criminalise the general population. I just can't wait for the next election to get rid of these charlatans

Tony(Labour Supporter), london, uk

So glad I got the hell out of the UK before it was too late lol...

Wonder how long till they'll bring surveilence cameras and bugs into your houses?

All your lives are belong to us! :D

Ren, Madrid, Spain

This was tried by Labour a few years back and it was rightly kicked out. Terrorists will circumvent through encryption. Meaning the only people who have privacy are the criminals and the people who are viewed with suspicion are the law-abiding. Labour is removing our freedoms for the terrorists

Ben Robinson, Brighton,

britain the next china

human rights, right out the window (sorry for the bad pun)

to my fellow Briths on this forum post see you in jail in a few year when the goverment has 100% controll over our every action our only crime will be free thinking

Mark, Edinburgh, Scotland

Wouldn't criminals or terrorists just start speaking in code?

I doubt they would send emails saying "should we stop at the little chef before or after our robbery of the bak on the high street?"

Matthew McPherson, Burnley,

Sounds like the old USSR to me.

Looks like we are going forward.......... well to some where.



Nemo

Jon Nemo, Llanelli, UK

We have been lied to over and over by our Government who are reckless with our personal data. Why should we trust them to hold more information about us??

There is always more than meets the eye with Labour and I would like to know the real reasons they want this information....

Andy Pandy, Bath, UK

i agree with the comment about the US having been doing this for at least 5 years. people really need to get out of this mode in which they think the government are doing all this for your safety because the sad fact is that what's happening now in the US and UK is what happened in 1930's germany.

simon lomax, warrington, uk

What kind of political party reveals a clearly unpopular proposal like this in the run-up to an essential byelection? Do they in their wildest dreams think they'll still be in power to actually go ahead with this? And who are these unnamed "officials" who dream up such hare-brained schemes? A joke.

Adam, Hastings, UK

Let's hold Gordon Brown and all his ministers personally accountable for the loss of our freedoms and the massive waste of taxpayer's funds when they are finally kicked out of office. It seems a reasonable threat on this incompetent bunch and it just may put them off this whole idea.

richard, Effingham, Surrey, England

Can I say this socalled "spying system" already exists. lol. its called Echelon and is a series of station across the globe to monitor emails and phone calls. See
http://wrhstore.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/ECHELON/echelon.html

I dont care if they listen or not, they do anyway

Jim, liverpool, england

To those who say we're sleepwalking into a surveillance society: no we're not. We're wide awake and know only too well that the Labour party is our enemy. The only people sleepwalking are those who continue to vote for it (ie a rapidly decreasing minority). And anyone who emigrates is no true Brit!

Adam, Hastings, UK

For the doubters of technological capability; please have a look at what Google is doing and tell me it's not possible ...

It is very possible to profile you. In fact online advertisement companies are already doing it, and the technology is improving.

You are nothing more than earmarked sheep.

Nicholas, London, UK

it smells of conspiracy secret government and nothing of this sort is to be done to free people and free country.

see the END GAME documentry. you will learn something.

atta, london, the UK

This is disgusting and disgraceful!.all vestiges of democracy seem to have evaporated in this country. The government thinks its above the law and has no care for what citizens think. Having read about the EU treaties I am also extremely concerned about what will unfold,I don't want to emigrate but,

Josh, Manchester, England

The on-going descent towards a fascist, big brother, orwellian prison continues.
I am organising a massive protest in the capital, so the voice of the people can be heard. There is a unanimous clear message that FREEDOM WILL PREVAIL.. It is time to be an active citizen now. Speak Up. Be Heard.

Naylor , London,

I am amazed that so many do not realize that this has been going on- Europe wide and more, for the past two decades.
Don't you know about the activities of Menwith Hill, Harrogate?

Ameriican commentators: You should investigate futher, all your communications are curently monitored and recorded.

John Bayldon, Harrogate, North York's

It looks like we are all going back to the days when we contacted people by letter!

Geraldine, Batley, U.K.

The cost versus benefit of such a massive operation is very doubtful. Once in place, terrorist cells (if that's the main reason) will find ways around it or exploit it. This measure will not prevent terrorism.

Peter, Orton, England

We should have a March for Freedom to Parliament Square, but that's not allowed any more either is it

Huw, West Sussex, England

Can I ask... dare I? What exactly will this data be used for. "Crime and terrorism" - these are very broad terms, what kind of terrorism, what crimes? This is very alarming, I would be a less concerned if they intended to do this for known criminals and suspected terrorists... George Orwell anyone?

Ryan Shaw-Harrison, Mexborough, Doncaster, UK

The deal is this.conformists that is what the u.k. is made of .we have been conditioned for something like this for centuries,but we will be dignified about it and set an example for the rest of the world to follow by.as its your turn next.
conformists dont carry guns.

tracey , derbyshire, orwellsville

I emigrated to France in February. I am still waiting for the road tax refund on my car! But the DVLA TV ads claim they know if your car is taxed and will crush it if not.

This data base is just another government scheme to increase employment without doing anything useful. - Like HIPS.

Michael Gosling, Bordeaux, France

We saw this coming and left 2 years ago..

Catherine, Rome, Italy

There's a lot of people from the US making comments about this and stating that it's sad to see Britain go this way. Might I remind our American friends that in the US these measures are also being implemented. The governemnt can conduct warrantless wiretaps in the US without permission.

jackie, Athens,

Did anyone see the drama series 'The Last Enemy' on the BBC a few months ago. Although far fetched, it would appear to be the direction we're heading.

Sam, Durham, UK

I think Britain is taking this Oceania bit a little too seriously.

Kyle, Monroe, NY, USA

Track record says they can't guarantee keeping data securely or protect us from subsequent fraud from loosing it; so can we trust the not to expose us to more risk of fraud? There is also a question of invasion of privacy; does the government hold a record of all parcels and letters, same concept?

K Patel, London, UK

Data would be better left in a distributed form with the various ISPs. Why not have them all agree to provide a common way for the Home Office to access that distributed data?

The HO has enough problems securely looking after the data it already has.

Gary, Royston, Herts, UK

If this happens i am emigrating!! Enough is enough..

Alex, London, UK

I agree that this could be used to combat terrorism, but who will be over seeing the overseers and put a limit on were it stops, its allready getting over-kill with CCTV cameras every where you go, the government should re-alise that emigration is at its highest point in history for a reason. Leave

john higgins, mexborough, south yorkshire

It would take a team of 20 people, working shifts around the clock, just to monitor the texts and (seemingly perpetual) phonecalls my wife makes.

How can they possibly monitor everything?

Steve Thompson, London,

Let's go the whole hog - cameras and microphones in every room in every home, everywhere, and implanted into everybody from birth.Everything is then recorded and monitored. Next lay down rigid rules which have to be adhered to to the letter, with a zero-tolerance. And finally sell it as "freedom"!

Dave, London, UK

Unlike the gutlesss liberal cowards, I support the fight, but this is stupid. Terrorists will use disposables. All this does is expose honest people to fraud and harassment.

Michael Spurlock, Missoula, US

1984 meets THX 1138.

Gavin, Tucson, USA

They can't lock us up for what we are saying in emails - the prisons are full. They even have to let terrorists out early to make room. Anyway, we can all trust our government to respect our privacy - just look at how hard they fought to keep their own expenses private!

John, Bedford, UK

"Since last October telecoms companies have been required to keep records of phone calls and text messages for 12 months".

Well I never knew that!, when was that slipped in?. I cant believe that they have the audacity to ask for this. They have got to go, they really have. They are going mad.

Alan, Chelmsford, UK

Some read Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm and see them as warnings of what could befall free people......while others seemingly apply them as blueprints for ultimate control.
<br/>
<br/>It saddens me to see what has become of my European ancestors.

Mike, Indian Trail, United States

My country and yours need to work together to eliminate paranoid and ineffectual Big Brother leaders and bring REAL democracy back.

Jacob Henderson, Indianapolis, USA

Everyone had better shut up - else you and your family will make "the list" - not of just rabel rousers but as enemies of the state - it's high time you run those muppets in power out or all will be lost....

On the other hand, your tabloids would get juicy to the extreme... hmmm hard call...

James, Charlotte , USA

As a former Brit and now US citizen I came to understand the reason for the 2nd Amendment - (hint: its not about duck hunting, its about personal protection, personal responsibility, and a check on government abuses.) You've surrendered your rights. '2001' came late but its there now.

Paul Smith, Atlanta, USA

Good God. Facist Britain. Who would have dreamed...

Michael Oberndorf, Idyllwild , USA

Well what does all this survelliance matter anyways? The UK is purposely being turned into BritZimbabwetanistan. Your men who stormed Normandy Beach and manned the Spitfires in WW II did so in vain. The inheritance and freedom they purchased with their blood and toil is being given to refugees.

Jr Allen, Houston,

I suspect for all our righteous indignation, this is as far as the protest will get. The typical english response to something like this is to drop the trousers and bend over with a stiff upper lip and then mutter about it afterwards. We get the leaders we deserve. if you're angry, do something.

brian, Stowbridge,

Whats next, tele-screens?

Victoria, Banbridge, Northern Ireland

Pretty sad guys. I feel sorry for you and ashamed of you at the same time. I hope we never stand for that

john, USA, USA

The Brown government will slavishly implement this latest EU directive under the guise of fighting crime and terrorism, but would Cameron’s Conservatives be any different? They have no plans to leave the EU, so would presumably be as duty-bound to implement this as is Brown. We must quit the EU.

Steve, Lincoln, UK

Another fine plan to watch all of us going about our lives and prosecute us for thought crimes, thereby increasing 'crime detecion and prosecution' statistics. Oh and he gets to employ another few thousand jobsworths who'll vote for him next time round.

Sanjay, Wolverhampton,

Please don't let this happen. Democracy is in the balance. Not this year or next, but think of your children's children.

Don, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

Here we go again another useless idea by Nu Labour, which will cost the British taxpayer a fortune!
I wonder if they'll monitor and check, Have your say, areas like this one, if they go ahead with this monitoring database idea?

Chris'., Tamworth , United Kingdom.

The penny has finally dropped - Brown's brand new vision for change, after creating a welfare dependency state (currently bankrupting us) He wants a bloody police state presumably to do a Mugabe on us in 2010 when he loses his deposit along with the rest of his government of all the untalented.

p[hilip, Ipswich,

Wonder why your tax bill is so high? Who's paying for the systems, all the archiving, the analysis, and the administration and legal bills around this, and who wants to spy on you? Gordon and his cronies have instigated surveillance after surveillance, law after law, fines and restrictions galore.

Phil A, Bordon, UK

How stupid can our masters get.Just think of the number of daily telephone call and eMails.Even assuming that a system can be built to recird and store them all who could possibly find any significant one in that mass.Further it is easy to agree on innocent sounding terms for significant meanings.

George Herbert, Bournemouth,

We should be in the streets protesting about this, this is the mindset of the goverment regardless of if the MP's let this come into play.

We pay 50% more for our fuel than America, yet we dont protest about that eaither.

We take it lieing down, no change there then!

Andrew Towell, Hartlepool, England,

I strongly urge everyone to resist this nazi-style government, and fast. Nu Labour hate us all and if you dont resist you will lose all of your freedoms that tens of thousands of British soldiers fought and died to preserve. Ive never hated a Govt so much.

David kewel, Swansea, Wales

The proposal is one of the most blatant attempts to infringe the basic human right to privacy yet devised by any UK government: Do the police currently open our paper mail and make copies? Would it be legal if they did? Why should electronic mail and telephone calls be considered any differently?

David, Cheshire,

Send emails and text messages to 20 other names at random. Send copies of innocent messages to the authorities to save looking for them. Insert trigger words in white font. Should stitch the system nicely.

Meanwhile the criminal element can use internet cafes, single use phones and callboxes.

Paul, Cambridge, UK

This has to be a joke in the light of the Government's recent attempts and introducing databases that cost us, the taxpayers a fortune and STILL don't work. NHS, HMRC database for Tax Credits....need I bother saying more? Get me out of this country!

Samantha Scholes, Preston, UK

It's not right, we are losing so much freedom in what is meant to be a democracy, and now my PRIVATE emails and phone calls are going to be recorded, Maybe George Orwell was just about 20 or so years out with his predictions.

This is NOT right, it is an invasion of MY privacy.

Gary Lowe, Desborough, UK

Okay- how exactly are they going to store this data ? A 2GB mailbox for 600 people needs over 1 Terabyte of storage. Multiply that by an entire nation and add voice and web usage... not only is this an invasion of privacy, I can't see that it's terribly practical.

Rhidian, Cardiff, Wales

And if you think you have nothing to fear, you are probably wrong. I have read today about someone arrested by the City of Londong police for displaying a banner in a protest against the Church of Scientology. The offence? Using the word "cult". Nothing to fear? Hmmm...

Ricky, Bakewell, UK

I remember this was one of the Countries that condemned the KGB in the Soviet union for this type of behaviour. Did the Soviets have it right then, or are we wrong now?

Tom Finlayson, Carnoustie, Angus

Time for encryption when I send a personal email, maybe full-round version of Blowfish maybe in order.

Charles, Belfast,

You let the government take your guns away. What will you do to stop the rest? 1997 was the end of UK :/

Daniel, Santa Clara, USA

There will be so much information that they'll never be able to find what they want....

Tim, Preston,

I think it is a great idea, I have nothing to hide and so long as you dont use electronic media to transmit personal info, then what is anyone so worried about.

You wouldnt feel so bad if you had been a victim of crime, all this outcry about freedom is idealistic nonsense.

Clare, cambridge, uk

now can i put this, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO
this has NOTHING to to with terrorism and everything to do with controlling the people. This "data" would also be sold to companies without our knowlage
My grandfather fought for this country to be free only for power mads burocrats to give it all away.

ivan, London, UK?

Report From Endtime Ministries:

186 of the 192 nations on earth will have a national ID system in place by 2010. This is all happening at the request of the UN’s ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). It is a plan to number, enter into a database, and monitor every person on earth!

Linda, New York, USA

I thinks MP's should set the lead here by being open and transparent with their emails,telephone calls,expenses......timesheets, to explain what in reality they are doing. Naturally,this should be open for all the public to see.

This is very crazy- what does liberty mean?

Cris, Alton, UK

How is this feasable when you can go down your local high street and purchase a pre-pay mobile phone with cash and then top-up said phone at local newsagents, all without anyone taking your name and/or address. OK calls and the phone can be tracked but how to prove whose phone it is?

rob, Reading, U.K.

the government recently lost NI information and bank details for hundreds of thousands of people...how can they be trusted with such a ridiculous operation?

Alex, London, England

As for you that think this wont work or will never happen, it will. SIngapore (a model country) has been recording the conversations, email of the public for over 20 years. You are naive if you think this will not happen. As an ex-pat, if u spoke out about the government your visa would be revoked

Tony, Cardif, Europe

They'll be monitoring your library books next... sorry, they've thought of that; they're closing down the Library service !

Toolan, Lincoln, UK

Whoever is responsible for these ideas, should be sacked immediately. They are paid out of public funds to attack our basic feedoms. They'll be opening our mail next.

Ray Lee, Canterbury, England

Never mind privacy and freedom. The government have NO chance keeping such a database, given their current disgracefull record on data security. And it will be abused at every turn to spy on you, especially if your bin is slightly overfull. In a word - Incompetence.

Lucas Tatek, Herts., uk

Is that going to be EVERY person's? Who will be the exceptions, I wonder? Maybe Michael Martin would like a say about this. Added to the absurd ID card proposals, this would create another mountain of unjustifiable work for the IT industry which has a near-perfect record of cost and time overruns.

Padraig, Perth, Australia

No chance of this working, every communication from our government still requires name, address, DOB and countless other repeated questions and they still pay out money to the wrong people.

Feel sorry for anyone misidentified though (now there's a thought)!

Richard, Harrogate,

What does the EU directive say? Does it specifically refer to a massive government data base or does it only recommend that the information be recorded as presently done?
The EU should not be used as scape goat for any change in the Society.

Sylvander, Vétraz-Monthoux, France

This collection of information is by no way proportional to the percieved 'threat' from terrorists. "Those that sacrifice their liberty for added security deserve neither". Benjamin Franklin. We are moving closer to a Big Brother State. Only mass civil disobedience can stop this.

Oliver, London, United Kingdom

Who's going to get the contract for it? The same big corporation that consistently fails to deliver anything on time and on budget but somehow keeps getting Government contracts - for billions? And do you seriously think it'll work? Not a chance.

Bry Barnes, Somerset, Uk

To the barricades!

Ronald Scott, Newcasrle upon Tyne,

How funny. Especially from the Americans here. This database already exists.

Z Smith, London,

Did these people think that George Orwell's "1984" was an instruction manual or something?

Liz, Hull,

Again, a measure that targets the whole population because of the actions of a minority. Profiling and targeting the specific population should be used rather than this socialist Marxist statist approach where everyone is treated the same Big Brother style

David Cartright, Birmingham,

Chill out folks, it's only for quality control and training purposes. . .

Igor Zap, Hertford,

OK, so anyone not wanting to have their information stored simply sends a letter......

The security services know who they should be watching, if they don't they need to be replaced.

There is no reason for law abiding citizens to be monitored this way.

Darren, Norwich, UK

This proposal should be opposed on the grounds that it is a mostly ineffective measure against the claimed terrorist targets. Anyone, how has something to hide, can relatively easily implement the counter measures required to effectively hide the destinations and contents of ones Internet traffic.

Sverker Griph, MBCS, Abingdon, UK

i think its time we had a revolution , at the moment the future looks grim !

niel, Margate, United Kingdom

When it comes to freedoms, there will eventually be little to differentiate the Chinese and British style of government. We are probably already monitored more.

The Chinese have many sayings and it would be only fair for their government to tell us that we are "the pot calling the kettle black "

Rob, Bristol,

It's clear now that insanity pervades the Home Office. Call for the men in the little white coats to drag Smith and her slavering cohorts off to the funny farm.

Its sheer lunacy. Let Labour try. It will be the most embarrasing joke of an episode in Labour's tawdry 11 year reign.

John, Kent, England

If this database is to work effectively with calling cards, then the government and your ISP will also have to capture TouchTone signals including everyone's telephone banking account numbers and PIN numbers

This will be a great asset to theives, and terrorists can just VPN to an offshore computer

Ken, Bracknell, UK

They no we’d never accept this sort thing. Next they’ll propose a toned down version, one we’d never have accepted if they’d not scared us with the Big Brother Bill.

Stephen, Middlesbrough, UK

Another Big Brother idea from GB.

Fortunately, there now exists encryption tools for email, some unbreakable spoof IP generators for the internet and some companies are working on text encryption for mobiles.

But in a 'free country' why do I need to do any of this?

rattleman, Reading,

What is wrong with the Chinese government? Always finding ways to restrict the individual freedom that their citizens should enjoy! Oh, wait. These new laws are going to be applied in the UK. Hooray the British government! Thank God they guard us law-abiding citizens against evil terrorists!

Joe, London, UK

Hopefully they can then read all the comments on these pages, and take note.

Jimd, Norwich, uk

How they even propose this without first getting a grip on immigration and border control is beyond me. But then this has nothing to do with terrorism, it's more to do with the final controls being put in place to ensure that everyone toes the line and accepts the EU taking over.

Garley, London, UK

Socialism can only exist with control and monitoring of citizens.
"Papieren, bitte".
How long before it's a crime not to carry your papers? Oh, about as long as it takes to foist the ID card on us.
Good project managers learn from previous projects - NHS system - overbudget, over time, overvalued

W Smith, Manchester,

I think someone ought to point out to the government that 1984 was meant as a critique and a warning, not a blueprint.

Alan Black, London,

well said gabrielle.. you guys have got what you deserve. a nanny state. a big brother state. a state where you do not matter. you are nothing. it is already too late for you. use disposable mobiles to arrange your escape to somewhere like here.
here is russia and we have far far far more freedom

peter jones, moscow,

This is the rope by which the western civilization is going to hang itself. All what has been accomplished in the last 4 centuries goes down the drain by a tick of an idiot's pen.

Heath, Cairo , Egypt

Yet another example if one was needed of how the excuse of terrorism is being used to create a total surveillance society which was the desire of the elite all along. Utter disgrace. This is a fascist totalitarian state in the making.

chris, brighton,

Yes its all very well saying the government should not do these things but we all allow it, Why not everyone say NO to these dictator ways. Mass peacefull demonstrations,down tools etc etc.

affaiec, Birmingham, UK

I'd rather risk getting blown up to be honest

DP, Edinburgh,

I would'nt mind, so long it's not in the hand of Corrupt-evil-ones

Cllr Ken Tiwari (Independent), Oxford, United Kingdom

I'm and honest, tax paying and 100% law abiding citizen and I have nothing to hide. However, just the thought of this level of survalance chills me to the core. Such an attack on the freedoms that we hold so dear, and have paid for in blood so many times just cannot go unanswered.

Flabbergasted

andy, worthing, uk

I have read this article and have since decided to move in to a nearby cave (or is it nearby O.o) to become a hermit. Sawing my keyboard and tower into bits as I'm writing ths gdbye cru wrld!!

Rupert, Edinburgh (in a cave),

Come on Home Office, have your say! I'm still waiting for the individual WHO proposed this scheme to stand up and be IDENTIFIED!! Or does the idea of being watched bother you??

John, Colchester,

I would advise everyone to watch the movie "Zeitgeist", available to view on line on this website: www.zeitgeistmovie.com

Some of the views expressed in the movie can be contested, but to me it represents the most accurate description of what is going on in our society today.

Mark, London,

This is truly laughable. So the government's argument is that they can prevent a terrorist attack by checking through 12 month old archived emails. You have to wonder what their real motives are but they created the homeland terrorist threat so they can sort it out without my inbox being snooped on.

Keith Elliott, Hyde, UK

And in an article in the same paper the question is being asked, "Why are Britons emigrating in such numbers?" I think that this proposal says it all.

FEF, Tewkesbury,

David from Liverpool writes, "Not even the Americans have contemplated this." We're just starting to get an astounding number of new security cameras on our roadways and in my workplace. I DO NOT like the feeling I'm being watched!

Scott, Syracuse, NY, USA

No dont get out, just refuse to accept it! Simple.

John Grant, Armagh, N.I

If labour insists on pushing this through I will consider voting for any party including the BNP, this is a fundemental issue - that we must defend. The safeguard of a court given permission will itself be open to abuse - A profile of every citizen will be constructed.

Kevin, London,

Criminals should switch to the string-between-two-cans method of communication--or smoke signals--in order to stay ahead of the curve!

James, Brielle, NJ, USA

when you put leftist in control of a nation you end up with oppression, this happens in all nations.

Richard T. Ketchum, Moberly, USA

In response to the people who say if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear will you be happy to have a telescreen/cctv in every room in your house?

chris, brighton,

OUTRAGEOUS! and it doesn't stop there. There are plans to store all our medical records centrally within the NHS too.
It appears to me that policies are swept through parliament as quickly as possible before the public have been made fully aware of the dangers.

Kim Domnick, Torquay, UK

Do the other parties agree with this proposal? If not, I can see a 100% change of vote resulting is a simple revolt.

Gilbert, Cheltenham,

I'm and academic and businessman in Technology.

Whilst the government may manage a phone database, thats one specific, accessible technology. Email is not the same kettle of fish, and any attempt to catalogue these *will* be futile.

Remember, Citizen, you can encrypt your data from them too.

Tim Putnam, Reading, UK

Aaaaaargghhh! We're in Room 101 with The Labour Party.

Viktorovich, London,

'put forward by home office officials.'

And which officials are these ?

And whose interests are they serving.

Such a database is wrong in principle and ineffective in practice. What about Tor, Freenet, ssh and the other 100s of darknets out there ?

Troc Ster, SW, UK

After the huge losses in the recent council elections, NuLabour sez its listening! Yep they sure are, nuLabour Gestapo will fine me or worst still arrest me if I show data patterns that do not match their norms. I haven't Labour ever since they've introduced the ID Card. Not a party to trust

Martin Praed, London, UK

One assumes that MPs communications would be exempt from this prying?
I would hate to think their privacy was invaded!

Jim, Prudhoe, England

What about Article 8, on privacy rights, of the European Convention on Human Rights? It says, "Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence."

Gordon Brown, if you're listening, RESPECT OUR HUMAN RIGHTS!

Time for mass protest?

Simon, Brentwood, UK

There's a lot of nonsense spoken here about encrypting emails etc. when future technology threatens to reveal all via quantum computing.
The real way to protect your privacy is to become an MP. Miraculously it won't be in the public interest for your information to be stored in a leaky database.

Mark, Liverpoool, UK

The Nazis emerged from the National Socialist Party, who were elected by the German voters. Hitler became leader without being elected by his party. They fed the population a diet of fear which enabled then to pass legislation that was “to protect the Fatherland”. I am beginning to get a feeling of déjà vous. You don’t think this is the way Adolf Brown and the New Labour Fascist want to take the country?

Paul, Lincoln, England

All those posting in this HYS, Please return to your allotted tasks.

Those inciting political discent/unrest! Be aware you are in breach of fedral law and are thus will be required to attend RE-TRAINING

The Controller, London, England

Well, that’s it for me. I am off to start a new country somewhere fuelled by a bit a common sense. Who’s coming? (Current British politicians need not apply).

Luke, London, UK

Maybe this is government's plan to make the Royal Mail profitable again?

Tornike, London, UK

Read Blind Faith by Ben Elton.
DegSep is on its way!!!!
Really is the sign of things to come.
There is a grain of truth in every facet of the story. Plus its a good yarn.

John Askha, Bradford, England

"don't care what information they have about me, because I don't have anything to hide.
Lee McLennan"
Too naive. A crime is committed. CCTV shows you in the area at the time. So does your mobile phone position. And you have no alibi. No one else appears to have been there. You're guilty.

W Smith, Manchester,

Every packet that comes in and out of an ISP's network is cached and in some nations it is defined by law that this should be done and be made available to the authorities at will. In other nations where there is not a law it will be done anyway. This is an attempt to improve the data-mining options

Brian Williams, Liverpool, England

They're completely welcome to all my spam and cold calls from salesmen.

Net result: real criminals won't use email, will switch to sat-phones and short-range radio messaging.

Criminalize the innocent - the're always an easy target.

Steve Farr, London, UK

Hey I've been doing this already anyway, every text, e-mail or phone call I make, I make sure I send a copy again to Gordon Brown. You know just to keep him in the picture as he's a total idiot, needs a sense of reality or should that be a frontal labotomy.

I'm off to the moon!

Chris, Dumbarton,

Echelon is already here in the uk. your DNA can be stored on a database without being guilty. Childrens' details on another.We get closer to a police state everyday,ruled by fear and ignorance propagated by the media.Get out while you can!

bob, cirencester, UK

Can I be blunt?

Only 47 people have died in the UK since 2001 becuase of terrorism (or 7 per year). 33,000 people die for alcohol related reasons each year, but no-one is banning that...

Mark Howes, Brighton,

So this is how it will go down: you're caught looking at a web site or video that shows you could be dissatisfied with the government (eg. J For Justice), you will be locked up as a terrorist as you find out and oppose what is really going on in the world... the new world order is already here.

Tom, Manchester,

Becoming a Down and Out (in Paris and London) is becoming an attractive idea.

Andrew, Suffolk, UK

And all this from the same MP's who are fighting to have their expenses revealed to the electorate.

Time for the revolution!

Oh, better be careful as some Government department will have software screening emails for seditious words...it's not far away and coming to a country near you.

Thomas, Alicante, Spain

When do we get a chip for our heads that stops us from thinking on our own???? Why don't we just all hand over our freedom right now and have the State turn this beautiful country into Hitler's dream of one giant concentration camp?

Or have they already done it....

Neil, Derby, UK

ah another way for the government to misplace our personal information - genius.

Katie, Harrogate,

Stuart from London, your attitude is precisley the reason why this despicable government has been allowed to curtail our freedoms and invade our privacy. So I'm sure you won't mind when they put a camera in your bathroom and bedroom. After all, you have nothing to hide right?

Mitch, melbourne, Australia

Go to motorway. Take a look how many cars are above 70 mph speed limit. Almost everybody excluding lorries. Why not track all the cars and fine everybody. Problem with public finances will be solved. After 10pm noise level should not exceed...

Vladimir Jigouline, Birmingham, West Midlands

Over my dead modem.

This is paranoid control freakery that even Myanmar could learn from. Every fraudster in the world will be queueing up to work for the Home Office to get their hands on our info.

David Keen, Yeovil, England

I just love it when muppets say "I've done nothing wrong, so I've nothing to hide". These people will gladly live in a police state with a microchip embedded in their skull daily chanting 'Baaaaa' when ordered to do so.

Dave Smith, Norwich, UK

Does anyone actually support this ? Who in the present Gov''t is backing this initiative ?

trevor, North Hampshire, UK

to 'Stuart, London, England' - who do you vote for? What are your sexual preferences? What do you like to eat? Where are you going for your holidays? What's the name and address of your partner? Is she/he the only one? do tell...

Chris, Exeter, Devon

All this has been foreseen years and years ago - the loss of privacy and freedom. 1984 is here and now. We can only pray.

soile, Tiznit, Morocco

If you think terrorists are going to stop.. well.. terrorising because you think you're watching them, you've got to be kidding.

Nitika, Delhi, India

Which department will be responsible for losing this information? And is there anyone in the government who understands the word 'responsible' without having to look in a dictionary?

Rowan, Oxford,

So are we all complusive CRIMINALS now , judged on basis of how we look, colour of our skins, surnames, what we talk and what we eat.

Thx but no thx

LABOUR HAS TO GO!


Tax paying genuine immigrant!

rohan, london, uk

When are you people going to say, "Enough is enough!" I thought it was New Zealand that sheep outnumbered people.

Terry, Plano Texas, USA

Lee McLennan................how would you like all your post opened -- it amounts to the same thing.

Some things we LIKE to keep private

Phil, Preston,

There are over 220 comments on here from people who are opposed to this. Your comments and addresses are now registered. Expect a visit in the middle of the night. We cannot have willfil disobediance from the majority, it undermines democracy. I'm off to Zimbabwee for my annual holiday.

Keith, London, England

So how will this database trace the real troublemakers who can presumably still anonymously use internet cafés and other untraceable locations?

Penny Phenix, Villiers-Charlemagne, France

Data Encryption is easy - all you need is a key and a suitable encryption / decryption algorithm. Then pass your text through the encryptor - copy and paste it into the e-mail and there you are.

Just make sure that you use your own as a bought one will probably have a 'back door' built in.

S JOnes, Hull, GBR

They know the public will lie down and take it in return for 'security'.

Stuart, Manchester, England

Ben Elton's got it right - Blind Faith becomes less a work of fiction by the second.

Nobody wants this. It's DegSep in the beginning. Someone clever, please help us all to express our discontent with the powers who think they're doing right, but are only diong harm.

James Leeming, London, UK

This is shocking. I would rather I die at the hands of whoever this intends to pursue than live in this increasingly monitored society. It really is time for ministers to give the detail as to why we need this form of security.

Derek, Glasgow,

Not a chance of it working. It would require stupendous amounts of data storage and multiple supercomputers to query the database., Quite apart from data quality, which will be abysmal.

This one is a paper tiger guys. Quit worrying.

John, Leeds, UK

When do the people of this country have a say in how Labour and EU decide to run its life. Where is our referendum?

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

When are the public going to open their eyes and see that the government is already looking over their shoulders watching every move they make? The thing that is really scary is that so few people are making a fuss about this. Sleepwalking into 1984 - its a fact.

Steven Dorif, Salford, England

Any electronic devices and or software program created by someone can always be broken by someone else. So any database no matter who created it or looks after it can be hacked cracked or penetrated no matter how much security you put round it.

Shaun, Rossendale, UK

I think it's great that intellectually handicapped people are integrated into mainstream society these days rather than being locked away as in Victorian times, but allowing them to become MPs is going too far.

Mike, Warwick, UK

The thought police are on to us. This seems a crackpot idea and one that our government will undoubtedly embrace with delight. Not even the Americans have contemplated this.

David Nammory, Liverpool,

If this happens, we must all start using strong encryption to scramble our e-mails to prevent unwanted interception.I have nothing to hide but I am not prepared to have everything I write read by Authorities we know use CCTV pictures to catch people for minor offences.

Chris Harper, London,

Sleepwalking into a surveillance society? Wake up, we're already there. Sleepwalking into a dictatorship, more like.

Go on, fear us into submitting to more inane "security controls". If Joe Blow is going to strap on a belt with C4, he won't give a crap if his emails are read after he's deads

Tor Houghton, Brighton,

Great - maybe they could use this to find out how many of their spooks have hooker wives? If the system goes ahead, it will be years and millions over budget before it works, given other government IT fiascos. And it still won't catch terrorists, who use random cybercafes and disposable mobiles.

Alex Duggan, London, UK

This is absolutely terrible! Hasn't terrorism worked well for these tyrants we call our democratically elected leaders? Anyone smell rat?

James, Sheffield,

Need we wonder why the taxes are getting higher? This is truly absurd! I don't see the British allowing such an Orwellian law to police thier lives.

Liberalism and individualism made me come here to school (and possibly build a life afterwards) in the first place!

Mo, Essex, UK

We will never progress as a people until we can learn to trust one another. The problem is that a lot of the ministers and esteemed industry leaders have sacrificed their souls in attaining their positions of influence and assume the general public are capable of the same unethical behaviour.

Jerry, Norwich,

When are you going to stop putting it in quotation marks ?
There's nothing about it that needs qualifying.
It really IS happening.
It IS as totalitarian as it looks and all you do is editorialise.

That German bloke with the naff do got his start exactly the same way; nobody did anything !!!!

RonAghast, Garfield, Australia

Don't worry about this new initiative. Firstly, it will take decades to build the IT system (see NHS) and even if it is eventually completed, it won't work. Secondly, it will be extremely expensive to set up (likely running into billions) and the government has now almost completely run out of cash.

Richard, London, UK

Oh dear there'd better not be any dissention against political parties then. Protest about the government increasing your taxes and you'll end up 'disappearing'! We all know what this is really about and it's nothing to do with security but a great deal to do with future limited resources.

judy, liverpool, england

Why don't they just confiscate all written correspondence too? It's the same thing isnt it?

Since you're all scanned by camera, why not have microphones everywhere too? Once you accept the principle, surely it becomes slowly applicble to any part of private life?

Ev