Surveillance pervasive as web and phones track every move

THERE has been a move towards greater surveillance of everyday life for some time now, says TJ McIntyre, lecturer at the School of Law in UCD.

“For example, since 2002 Irish law has required that telephone companies log details of every telephone call made, every text message sent, and the movements of every mobile phone, and that they store that information for three years.

“European law will extend this to the internet, requiring ISPs to log details of users’ emails, instant messages and web use. That means that every time you log on and off the internet, every email you send and receive and all internet phone calls you make through Skype, for instance, will be stored for up to 12 years.”