Web founder says 'UK govt's email snooping plan should be blocked'

Irish Sun (ANI) Wednesday 18th April, 2012

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the man credited with creating the World Wide Web, has said that the UK government's proposals to allow the security services to monitor people's online activities should be blocked.

Sir Tim said the plans, if come into action, would place vast amounts of private information at risk of theft or release by corrupt officials.

"The idea that we should routinely record information about people is obviously very dangerous," The Telegraph quoted Sir Tim, as saying.

"It means that there will be information around which could be stolen, which can be acquired through corrupt officials or corrupt operators, and used, for example, to blackmail people in the government or people in the military," Sir Tim said.

"We open ourselves out, if we store this information, to it being abused," he added.

The paper quoted Sir Tim, as saying that of all the developments on the internet, it is surveillance by governments 'that keep me up most at night'.

The UK Home Secretary's proposals would allow police and intelligence officers to monitor who someone is in contact with and which websites they visit, although the communications content not be accessed.

The coalition faces a backlash over the 200 million pounds a year scheme. (ANI)