David Cameron Says Fictional Crime Proves Why Snooper's Charter Is Necessary

An anonymous reader sends this story from TechDirt: "You may recall the stories from the past couple years about the so-called 'snooper's charter' in the UK — a system to further legalize the government's ability to spy on pretty much all communications. It was setting up basically a total surveillance system, even beyond what we've since learned is already being done today. Thankfully, that plan was killed off by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. However, Prime Minister David Cameron is back to pushing for the snooper's charter — and his reasoning is as stupid as it is unbelievable. Apparently, he thinks it's necessary because the fictional crime dramas he watches on TV show why it's necessary. Cameron said, 'I love watching, as I probably should stop telling people, crime dramas on the television. There's hardly a crime drama where a crime is solved without using the data of a mobile communications device. What we have to explain to people is that... if we don't modernise the practice and the law, over time we will have the communications data to solve these horrible crimes on a shrinking proportion of the total use of devices and that is a real problem for keeping people safe.'"

I know right?

[ganjadude]

Its the same reason that we should be increasing our ability to hunt down hobbits. If they get control of that ring again it could be the end for us all!

Re:Terrorists

[viperidaenz]

We won't be able to catch the suicide bombers either if we can't analyse their mobile communications after the bomb goes off!

Re:You know what else we need

[Opportunist]

Oh, please, I know this thread is about science fiction and unrealistic drama, but lawyers with conscience... the rest I could see, but that really pushes the envelope.

Re:Terrorists

[Opportunist]

And we really need to catch them and lock them up to make sure they'll never do it again!

Time Lord's Charter

[mbone]

It seems to me, from the British TV I watch, that the UK is clearly in need of a Time Lord's Charter, authorizing the use of the Tardis and associated technology in solving existential threats to the Earth.

Re:You know what else we need

[EdIII]

I really don't think we should legalize Visual Basic.

Re:Idiocy.

[chromas]

DC is America's thermal exhaust port. It's where all the hot air comes from.

Re:Idiocy.

[plover]

DC is America's thermal exhaust port. It's where all the hot air comes from.

And it's filled with womp-rats.