Police are to be handed sweeping powers to hack into people’s phones and computers and spy on their web-browsing histories under draconian new laws published today. Home Secretary Theresa May has announced a massive extension of the spying powers originally drawn up to help the security services fight terrorists. Under the draft version of the Investigatory Powers Bill published last year – dubbed the ‘Snooper’s Charter’ – the most intrusive spying powers would only have been available to spy agencies MI5 , MI6 and GCHQ.
But under a rewritten version unveiled today Mrs May said police should also be allowed to spy on people’s internet use as part of their everyday work. In a move that will dismay privacy campaigners, her new-look ‘Snooper’s Charter’ gives cops the power to spy on people’s web browsing history whenever they deem it “necessary” as part of any investigation. READ MORE
