From March, ISPs will be required to store details about every email sent and received, for one year.
The new rules, which will come into force on March 15, will fulfill the terms of the European Data Retention Directive, the Home Office said. It added that ISPs won't be required to store information on the contents of the emails but that the records will be made available to any public body that requires access to them during criminal proceedings.
It is thought the scheme could cost ISPs in the region of £75m and will be separate to the government's planned 'super database' that will detail every call, text message, email and website visit. The EU has suggested the government should be responsible for some of the funding for the new scheme.
However, the new rules regarding email data retention have raised a number of privacy concerns. Last year, in the UK's privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioners Office, said: "It is likely that such a scheme would be a step too far for the British way of life."
Reprinted with permission from PC Advisor. Story copyright 2009 PC Advisor Inc. All rights reserved.
Just watch Internet commerce crash if this goes ahead. Everyone will go back to using the post and pull their ISP accounts, so the ISPs will lose business fast. How many paedophiles does government seriously think its going to catch by cramping the liberties of ordinary people? For God's sake someone stop this insane bunch of politicians before the entire population is criminalised and everyone's private business is opened up on a plate to all and sundry.
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