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Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:41 GMT 08:41 UK

MP's and Councilors phone & internet use should be monitored. This would help in the fight against sleaze and corruption. The police, inland revenue and Intelligence would find it very helpful. If they want to spy on us - OK - but we should be able to spy on the Government as well. Mabye between us we can make a better, more open, government. Who spy's on the spy's - spy on everyone, especially the government. On a serious note, we should stop all surveilance unless a court order is given.

Robert, Edinburgh

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:39 GMT 08:39 UK

If safety from terrorist attacks and reduction in crime will be the result then it is OK by me. I have nothing to hide so what's the problem? Those complaining on here need to get a life.

Tania Melk, Chobham, Surrey

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:37 GMT 08:37 UK

Didn't we have this debate a couple of months ago?

I seem to remember the consensus was that it's an invasion of privacy but to be expected in a surveillance state BUT it's already happening anyway and they're just making it public so there won't be a huge outcry when it's leaked.

[whirlybird24]

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:37 GMT 08:37 UK

Yes it should be monitored to find out just what the ruling classes are upto.

Jim young

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:36 GMT 08:36 UK

I have never heard a more ridiculous idea put forward to entice people into believing that such a severe intrusion into their privacy is necessary.
This Country used to be proud of its freedom. Now you have too many people, in the mould of extreme Dictators, wanting to take all of it away.
And, the strange thing is - many of you are falling for it. Only when all that freedom is gone will you realise what you so easily gave up.
Don't be brainwashed.

Anne, Bristol

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:28 GMT 08:28 UK

I have read that many criminals are using Skype to communicate as it uses encryption, which means content can't be read by third parties. However, such monitoring of us lot will create another little sub-industry that will employ people.

El Gee, Yorskire,UK

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:15 GMT 08:15 UK

This concept will not work at all .The world is moving faster day by day.Internet and Phone becoming very useful for daily life of human being.If any criminal organization want to use secret code number Is there any ways to find out this?I think the concept will be violet the secrecy of personal life .First of all we have to find out what is the factors acting behind the screen for terrorism.Why and how they are doing that? There is no short cut remedies for removing this disease at a glance.

Ebnul hussain chowdhury, Dhaka

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:05 GMT 08:05 UK

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
Juvenal

Who will guard the guardians? The tools to fight terrorism can be used just as effectively to fight political dissent and we have only government's word that they will not abuse them. Even the ancient Romans knew of the peril of trusting governments' good intentions.

Scott W, Port Orchard, USA

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 07:03 GMT 08:03 UK

Thanks to Echelon, all of our emails, calls, faxes & text messages are already monitored.
But not by our own government. We are spied upon by the USA with the permission of the UK government.

But should the UK government spy on it's own people.
I'll leave that decision up to the people who seem to have lost all their morals.

[negativebert], Stourbridge, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 06:29 GMT 07:29 UK

What do you think they have someone reading every message you send?

Someone watching your keystrokes?

This is a government department and is under funded like all of them.
Commercial companies track you with spyware to make money from you, yet you do not complain. Commercial companies spam you mobile with Bluetooth yet you do not mind.
This data is recorded to enable them to go back and look at it later, if you do something that makes them stand up and look at you. What are you doing?

Ron, Gosport

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 06:12 GMT 07:12 UK

Given that you can buy pay as you go sim cards without giving an address and you can easily use Internet for free I cannot see the logic in this at all. Add to that the availability of off the shelf encryption devices for phone and internet usage shows that this surveillance will not be effective. They have just invalidated it by telling the whole country.
Stop taking advice from the US and use the valuable lessons learned from the years of fighting terrorism in Ireland and Britain.

Tony Caban, Not English, Scottish or Welsh but British!, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 06:10 GMT 07:10 UK

So we cannot expel foreign religious extremists that preach hate against this country because it would be violating their rights.

BUT we can invade the privacy of every law abiding legitimate citizen of this country.

Simon Ward, Watford, United Kingdom

What more needs to be said. It shows that the government has got it's priorities totally wrong. It is more interested in Ethnic minorities and foreign issues rather then the indigenous population and issues of Britain.

Tony Caban, Not English, Scottish or Welsh but British!, United Kingdom

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 05:58 GMT 06:58 UK

"I am not convinced it is about terrorism I suspect this is about state power especially that of the EU. Little wonder our politicians are held in such contempt. They don't represent us any more.
BERT, KENT "

Bert I am 50 and have no experience of them ever representing us.

Derek Ringer

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 05:57 GMT 06:57 UK

Monitoring all phone and internet use will be a violation
of privacy and democratic ideals

h menon, New York, United States

Added: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009, 05:45 GMT 06:45 UK

Maybe ask where we as a citizenery are willing to go to balance safety with freedom? If the world is not free from tyranny then the battle for freedom which began whenever in history is not over. If the battle is not over then what sacrifices are you willing to make to ensure that we as a people have a free future? Where's the balance?

Alex McKee, Perth, Australia