Clegg, “We won’t hold your email records when there is no reason to”
May 24th, 2010 by adminIn a recent speech under taken by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, the Conservative/Lib Dem government indicated its plans to scrap Labour’s previous proposal to increase the volume of data held on the use of telecommunications by the public.
Although Clegg did not elaborate on the issue, he stated that Labour’s privacy policy would not be enforced.
At present, the law requires telecommunications companies to hold basic data for one year from the date it is recorded. Last year, the Labour government outlined plans to compel telecommunications companies to retain data on internet use, including social networking messages, emails and other third party data. These plans will no longer be put into place according the Deputy Prime Minister.
A Home Office spokesman said that data retention of internet and email records will not be held without good reason.
Although the new coalition government may not be in agreement with plans made by their predecessors, it is unlikely that many changes to the current law will be made as the twelve month storage of rudimentary data is mandatory under the Data Retention Directive.
It is believed the government shall begin a review of the arrangements currently in place for data retention and privacy policy within the next six months.
Further to this, Nick Clegg also stated that CCTV shall be better regulated to sustain public protection.
