[Gllug] New EU data retention rules approved

[Alain Williams]

Quoting "t.clarke" <tim at seacon.co.uk>:

> Do our beloved leaders ever think anything through properly ?
>
> The tax credits fiasco is a case in point.
>
> As far as the internet is concerned, I cannot see how ISPs can retain details
> of email traffic without going to huge expense.
>
> SMTP traffic cannot, surely be 'proxied' ?

Especially if you use the encrypted SMTP option ... which I have as standard if
the box that I am talking to understands the extension.

> My understanding is that if, we, for example use SMTP to send an email to
> a customer via our ADSL or leased-line,  the IP packets travel 'directly'
> to the customer's mail server via a number of high-speed switches which do
> not retain/store any of the contents of those packets.   If ISPs are required
> to retain details of our SMTP traffic they will presumably have to implement
> some heavy-duty hardware solution to monitor all packets and extract the
> required information.  Since terrorists or whatever are perfectly capable
> of transmitting data around the world via any 'port' they like  (65000 odd to
> choose from),  it would seem that ISPs would have to collect and store info
> on ALL activity through their switches.  This would clearly be ludicrous !
>
>
> And how on earth is retaining data on unanswered mobile-phone calls going to
> catch terrorists who use them to detonate bombs?  All they need to do is
> use a public call box or a stolen mobile to make the call !  And I guess most
> pay-as-yu-go mobiles are effectively untraceable also?

Or even revert to parchment & quill. Making plans to cause_mayhem/bomb/... via
the postal service is quite fast enough.



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