Home Secretary David Anderson has agreed to establish an independent review of the operational case for new investigatory powers allowing for bulk data collection. The reviewer, Theresa May, will consider the powers that the controversial Investigatory Powers Bill will give to intelligence agencies to access large amounts of data from various forms of communication, including email. The agencies' aim is to source intelligence on terrorists and their activities. Currently, this is achieved under the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act of 2014, but this expires at the end of the year. May’s move follows a recommendation given in February calling on the government to better justify each of the bulk powers. This refers to the bulk interception of data, bulk acquisition of communications data and bulk interference with equipment. Anderson is expected to provide his review in the coming weeks.
Home Secretary Theresa May has agreed to establish an independent review of the operational case for new investigatory powers allowing for bulk data collection. The reviewer, David Anderson, will consider the powers that the controversial Investigatory Powers Bill will give to intelligence agencies to access large amounts of data from various forms of communication, including email. The agencies' aim is to source intelligence on terrorists and their activities. Currently, this is achieved under the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act of 2014, but this expires at the end of the year. May’s move follows a recommendation given in February calling on the government to better justify each of the bulk powers. This refers to the bulk interception of data, bulk acquisition of communications data and bulk interference with equipment. Anderson is expected to provide his review in the coming weeks.