With the challenges facing the security of the internet mounting by the month, David Cameron has spoken out in support of the controversial UK and Australian data retention laws.
In July this year, the UK government enacted the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act, a bill which allowed UK data-retention laws to stay in place after previous laws were struck down by the European Court.
Since they were implemented by the last government in 2009, the UK data retention laws have been subject to extensive criticism from the EU, with many accusing them of presenting an affront to human rights. Under the laws, companies and organisations are obligated to retain information about their customers – including such things as phone conversations, emails and texts.
Controversially, the Australian government has followed suit with a mandatory data retention bill, which similarly instructs companies to retain information aimed at helping to detect and prevent online crime.
Speaking in Canberra earlier this week, David Cameron said: “We must not allow the internet to be an ungoverned space.
“In the UK, we are pushing for companies to do more, including strengthening filters, improving reporting mechanisms, and being more proactive in taking down this harmful material. We’re making progress, but there is further to go.
“This is their social responsibility, and we expect them to live up to it.”
Meanwhile, a scathing report earlier this week damned the Australian regulation for its limitation imposed on human rights. In particular, they expressed the concern over the period of two years in which companies are required to retain customer data. The Australian Attorney-General, George Brandis, defended the legislation, saying that it was the way in which Western nations are going.