British Police Now Allowed to Hack Into Your Private Computer

[PS3 News]

The power of anti-piracy organizations is constantly growing and latest news from Great Britain sounds somehow scary: The Home Office has adopted a new policy that will allow police to hack into British people's computer systems without a warrant.

The hacking known as 'remote searching' allows officers to covertly examine the hard drive of people's PC's anywhere. E-mails, Web browsing habits and messaging conversations can all be gathered.

To quote: The Home Office has quietly adopted a new plan to allow police across Britain routinely to hack into people's personal computers without a warrant.

The move, which follows a decision by the European Union's council of ministers in Brussels, has angered civil liberties groups and opposition MPs. They described it as a sinister extension of the surveillance state which drives "a coach and horses" through privacy laws. The hacking is known as "remote searching".

It allows police or MI5 officers who may be hundreds of miles away to examine covertly the hard drive of someone's PC at his home, office or hotel room. Material gathered in this way includes the content of all e-mails, web-browsing habits and instant messaging.

Under the Brussels edict, police across the EU have been given the green light to expand the implementation of a rarely used power involving warrantless intrusive surveillance of private property. The strategy will allow French, German and other EU forces to ask British officers to hack into someone's UK computer and pass over any material gleaned.

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[alexroy514]

I guess I'll have to save my torrents to dvds now and wipe them from my drive... here we go again...

[Challb]

That's messed, privacy is a right not an option.