The UK tech industry is concerned about proposed changes to the Investigatory Powers Act, which some have dubbed a “snooper’s charter”. Although the government maintains that its amendments will help keep UK citizens safe, more than a dozen groups and individuals focused on the tech sector and human rights have signed a statement disputing this. Among the signatories to the statement were the Computer and Communications Industry Association, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the Internet Society, as well as groups such as Liberty and Privacy International.
TechUK, representing hundreds of technology companies, say the planned amendments to the law could compromise the security, privacy, and safety of citizens. The government has previously said it is trying to “protect the country from child sexual abusers and terrorists.” The proposed changes will be debated in parliament on Monday.
The signatories to the statement are calling for a close examination of the legislation, which they say has been rushed and which, they claim, could carry negative repercussions, including weakening safeguards on intelligence services when collecting bulk data. They also argue that it could impede legitimate data protection efforts by companies and undermine global online security, making the UK the “weak link” in securing data.
The government has responded to the criticism and says it does “not recognise” the statement’s claims. It insists that the amendments, which it claims have been subject to independent review, utilise the necessary tools to keep citizens safe while maintaining world-leading safeguards and oversight. A spokesperson for the government added that the bill will be thoroughly examined before it is given the go-ahead
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