The Home Office has defended proposals to require social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace to retain details of their users' movements on the internet.
They could be required to hold data about every person users correspond with via the sites, The Independent reported.
The proposal follows plans to store information about every telephone call, email and internet visit made by anyone in the UK on a central database.
Details were disclosed by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker earlier this month at a little noticed Commons committee to examine draft EU directives.
He said the Government was considering acting on social networking sites because they were not covered by the latest proposals from Brussels.
"Social networking sites, such as MySpace or Bebo, are not covered by the directive," he said. "That is one reason why the Government are looking at what we should do about the intercept modernisation programme because there are certain aspects of communications which are not covered by the directive."
He added that the Government's intercept modernisation programme proposals may be extended to include "the retention of data on Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and all other similar sites".
Mr Coaker acknowledged that the plan would raise fresh concerns about the right to privacy.
"I accept that this is an extremely difficult area. The interface between retaining data, private security and all such issues of privacy is extremely important," he said. "It is absolutely right to point out the difficulty of ensuring that we maintain a capability and a capacity to deal with crime and issues of national security, and where that butts up against issues of privacy."
A Home Office spokesman said: "To ensure that we keep up with technological advances we intend to consult widely on proposals shortly. continues here
They could be required to hold data about every person users correspond with via the sites, The Independent reported.
”The proposal follows plans to store information about every telephone call, email and internet visit made by anyone in the UK on a central database”
The proposal follows plans to store information about every telephone call, email and internet visit made by anyone in the UK on a central database.
Details were disclosed by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker earlier this month at a little noticed Commons committee to examine draft EU directives.
He said the Government was considering acting on social networking sites because they were not covered by the latest proposals from Brussels.
"Social networking sites, such as MySpace or Bebo, are not covered by the directive," he said. "That is one reason why the Government are looking at what we should do about the intercept modernisation programme because there are certain aspects of communications which are not covered by the directive."
He added that the Government's intercept modernisation programme proposals may be extended to include "the retention of data on Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and all other similar sites".
Mr Coaker acknowledged that the plan would raise fresh concerns about the right to privacy.
"I accept that this is an extremely difficult area. The interface between retaining data, private security and all such issues of privacy is extremely important," he said. "It is absolutely right to point out the difficulty of ensuring that we maintain a capability and a capacity to deal with crime and issues of national security, and where that butts up against issues of privacy."
A Home Office spokesman said: "To ensure that we keep up with technological advances we intend to consult widely on proposals shortly. continues here
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