UK plans to track all internet connections could cost £1bn, campaigners warn
Government plans to track every website visited by every British citizen could cost more than £1bn, privacy campaigners have estimated.
The £1bn estimate for the cost of requiring phone and internet companies to retain everyone’s internet connection records and store them for 12 months is based on a similar scheme in Denmark, which was recently dropped on grounds of cost.
The Don’t Spy on Us coalition, which includes the Open Rights Group and Privacy International, says that the £1bn price tag for the new powers for the police and security services to access everyone’s web browsing history compares with the initial official Home Office estimate of only £174m over 10 years.
The British internet industry has already made clear that it regards the £174m figure as an underestimate. The president of BT Security has told MPs that the allocated amount would only cover BT’s costs, and Virgin Media has said its costs will be “in the tens of millions”. The Home Office is reconsidering its initial cost estimate.
The Danish government recently shelved similar proposals to monitor the web browsing habits of Danish citizens after accountancy giant Ernst & Young, confirmed it would cost 1bn Danish kroner (£105m) to implement. This estimate only covered the equipment investment and did not include annual operating costs.
Government plans to track every website visited by every British citizen could cost more than £1bn, privacy campaigners have estimated.
The £1bn estimate for the cost of requiring phone and internet companies to retain everyone’s internet connection records and store them for 12 months is based on a similar scheme in Denmark, which was recently dropped on grounds of cost.
The Don’t Spy on Us coalition, which includes the Open Rights Group and Privacy International, says that the £1bn price tag for the new powers for the police and security services to access everyone’s web browsing history compares with the initial official Home Office estimate of only £174m over 10 years.
The British internet industry has already made clear that it regards the £174m figure as an underestimate. The president of BT Security has told MPs that the allocated amount would only cover BT’s costs, and Virgin Media has said its costs will be “in the tens of millions”. The Home Office is reconsidering its initial cost estimate.
The Danish government recently shelved similar proposals to monitor the web browsing habits of Danish citizens after accountancy giant Ernst & Young, confirmed it would cost 1bn Danish kroner (£105m) to implement. This estimate only covered the equipment investment and did not include annual operating costs.
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