20/05/2008

As part of the government's ongoing fight against crime, a large new database will be implemented that contains details of every phone call made, email sent and time spent on the internet.

The new plans would see internet service providers handing over the details to the Home Office, the Times reports.

Personal data would be collected and then kept for one year where it could be accessed by law enforcement officials.

However, critics have responded to the reports saying they were not aware of 'any justification' that would allow the government to log details of such actions by the public and that it may be a 'step too far'.

The assistant information commissioner Jonathan Bamford said that: 'We have real doubts that such a measure can be justified, or is proportionate or desirable.'

He added that his department had warned before that the UK may be 'sleepwalking into a surveillance society'.

In related news, a proposed online database of dismissed employees has been criticised by human rights group Privacy International for potentially being illegal.