The lovely nosemonkey has a piece on proposed EU rules on tracking phone and other personal data. Basically, it’s a British proposal to get through the proposals that were thrown out domestically some months ago.
What we’re now moving towards is the state attempting to monitor the activites of all individuals at every level. From compulsory bank accounts and the ‘cashless’ society, monitoring of phonelines, a TV in every home (linked to digital so viewing habits can be monitored), the spread of CCTV to unofficial versions of the IDcard scheme, private space is increasingly disappearing. The opportunity to live apart from the state is decreasing. It’s enough to make one set out for the hills. Luckily, I’m fairly close to them already.
Of course, all this monitoring requires excellent IT systems. And the government hardly has a good track record with those.
(edit–later) More entertainingly the major record companies (including the increasingly unlovely Sony) are asking for permission to access these file. Indeed, to use anti-terrorist legislation to access records on piracy. Because pirates are funders of terrorism, see? Only, of course, they’re not. Treating your customers like potential terrorists, it’s a great way of ensuring their loyalty.