I should start by saying that these measures being enacted in Britain are (at least in part) the result of the rioting seen there as a result of a police shooting. The ensuing rioting was propagated and orchestrated (according to the British authorities) via RIM’s Blackberry whose encryption gives virtual immunity to messages sent and received.

The rioting was also propagated through the social networking sites, apparently.

While the UK government maintains its stance that the British web should remain open and uncensored, measures are to be introduced to ban cyber-criminals from the web. This is really not new.

Through the UK’s anti-piracy legislation, the Digital Economy Act, web providers will be forced by law to send notifications to alleged pirates if they are found to be infringing copyright. The law can be used to restrict citizens’ access to the web should they fail to comply with copyright infringement notifications. The bill,  gave the state and government th right to tell ISP’s to disable and suspend broadband and internet accounts of users through a three-strike system of copyright infringement. So, the foundation was there, and it is being built upon.

In addition, LulzSec prisoners awaiting trial might be included in these measures along with hackers, pirates and other criminals using the net to propagate their nefarious activities.

The British are approaching this with a tiered concept going from ‘tagging’ to outright banning” (viz section 4.28 of their released statement):

“4.28  In addition, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office will consider and scope the development of a new way of enforcing these orders, using ‘cyber-tags’ which are triggered by the offender breaching the conditions that have been put on their Internet use, and which will automatically inform the police or probation service. If the approach shows promise we will look at expanding cyber-sanctions to a wider group of offenders.”

All this started earlier this month when the UK’s home secretary spoke in Parliament today to propose that those who riot or commit disorder through means of social media, could face Twitter and Facebook bans (http://www.zdnet.com/blog/london/englands-rioters-threatened-with-facebook-twitter-ban/704) despite Cameron’s recanting from that position. Apparently 70% of British citizens polled (percentage was not reflected among their young) support an emergency shut down of the social media ( http://www.zdnet.com/blog/london/two-thirds-of-brits-support-facebook-twitter-shutdown-in-future-riots/728).

It should be noted that Britain has no First Amendment and the whole topic of “free speech” there is a bit fuzzy.

England also seems to be coming more into line with America’s and Israel’s (allegedly) security policies, as well. The UK’s cyber-security strategy now appears to include “proactive” tactics and “plans to deliver military effects” possibly in order to authorize the use of launching Stuxnet-like state-targeted malware, perhaps (full document available below):

4.7 In keeping with the NATO Strategic Concept, and with the agreement of the National Security Council, the NCSP is investing to ensure we take a more proactive approach to tackling cyber threats and exploiting the cyber environment for our own national security needs.

4.9: As part of this we are creating a new Defence Cyber Operations Group to bring together cyber capabilities from across defence. The group will include a Joint Cyber Unit hosted by GCHQ at Cheltenham whose role will be to develop new tactics, techniques and plans to deliver military effects, including enhanced security, through operations in cyberspace.

This program is already in use by MI6 utilizing a “tiered response” laced liberally with the  David Nivenesque humor I love so much:

“Earlier this year, a Whitehall source speaking to a British national newspaper, said that GCHQ in conjunction with British foreign intelligence service the SIS (MI6) disrupted an online al-Qaeda propaganda ‘magazine’, by replacing a bomb-making guide with a recipe for non-exploding cupcakes.” – David Whittaker, ZDNet

The British Ministry of Defense is also beefing up cyber security of key British industries and companies by sharing specially developed security software.

Now, to close the circle….

The British police have a new toy. It can shut down cell phones selectively, or in a blanket over a given area. It can force the cellphones in that area to give the identity of their owner, and, it can simulate a cellphone network and intercept, record and divert conversations by doing so. Clearly, that could prevent a bomb from exploding, but the Home Secretary has signed quite a few wiretap orders for cell phones, as well. Again, not necessarily a bad thing at all.

One wonders what the checks and balances are, though. After all, it isn’t a Judge signing that Order, but a politician.

What do you think about all this?

Sources:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/The%20UK%20Cyber%20Security%20Strategy-%20web%20ver.pdf#page=25)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/british-mi6-replace-bomb-website-with-cupcake-recipe/10453

http://www.neowin.net/news/uk-plans-to-ban-criminals-from-the-web

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/london/uk-government-8216planning-to-launch-stuxnet-like-attacks-against-hostile-states/1128

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/london/englands-rioters-threatened-with-facebook-twitter-ban/704

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/london/two-thirds-of-brits-support-facebook-twitter-shutdown-in-future-riots/728

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/anti-piracy-laws-passed-fears-of-wave-of-censorship-raised/4526

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/london/londons-met-police-uses-8216blanket-tracking-system-to-intercept-remotely-shut-down-mobile-phones/422