techUK
 Printable version
|
techUK speak at Labour Party fringe event on Technology and Surveillance
techUK Deputy CEO Antony Walker highlights importance of upcoming draft Investigatory Powers Bill
On Tuesday 29 September, techUK's Antony Walker spoke at a fringe event at the Labour Party conference, chaired by Big Brother Watch's Renate Samson, on 'Technology and Surveillance: The impact on Business, Politics and Society'. The session was based on the upcoming Investigatory Powers Bill and the effects counter-terrorism legislation has on civil society and industry. Other speakers at the event were Catherine West MP (Shadow Foreign Office Minister) and Geoff White, Technology Producer for Channel 4 News.
Antony began proceedings by welcoming the upcoming publication of the draft Bill, describing it as an important piece of legislation that will rethink how communications data is intercepted and retained by law enforcement. Given changes in both technology and consumer behaviour, an update to our currently outdated legal framework is desperately needed for law enforcement, industry and wider society. For this reason, it is important that both members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords properly scrutinise the draft Bill as it goes through parliament.
Antony also warned against painting the debate as a "binary choice" between national security and privacy. The challenge for Government was to achieve both and, if built on the recommendations of the Anderson review, the Government can achieve the trust in surveillance practices that citizens demand.
During the question and answer session, Antony highlighted the importance of encryption in providing security to consumers. He stressed that, even though encryption technologies pose some difficulties for the security services, any suggestions to weaken it must be rejected as its use is crucial in order to have a secure digital economy.
