Revenue to be given powers to check our phone records and e-mails???

Ali Babba

I read on the papers today that the Revenue is to be given powers to check our e-mails, phone records and text messages, are we all being branded as criminals now or what? Surely this is an infringement of our human rights etc.? Has anyone else read about this?

L.Jenkins

Any links to it!

IvySlayer

Run to da hills countdown timer set

10, 9, 8...

blubloblu

Source?

MagicMarker

Sounds like bull shít.

sadista

yeah what paper? tried google but nothing turned up

L.Jenkins

sadista wrote: »

yeah what paper? tried google but nothing turned up

The Sun?

Ali Babba

Sorry I don't know how to insert links to it but it was discussed on the radio earlier and it's on the front page of the Irish Mail.

Kasabian

Ali Babba wrote: »

Sorry I don't know how to insert links to it but it was discussed on the radio earlier and it's on the front page of the Irish Mail.

Ah the Mail , that bastion of all things Irish.
Fcuking Right wing gutter sh1te , why the fcuk do Irish people persist in reading that tripe.

Truley

lonad wrote: »

Ah the Mail , that bastion of all things Irish.
Fcuking Right wing gutter sh1te , why the fcuk do Irish people persist in reading that tripe.

Because they're stupid. That's why everybody does everything.

Run_to_da_hills

IvySlayer wrote: »

Run to da hills countdown timer set

10, 9, 8...

I beat you all to it 11.37am, only that I had posted it in the appropriate forum.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055912138

djhunter30 wrote: »

Any links to it!

Here.

The key phrase on the second page linked.. "those they are investigating"


Move along folks, nothing to see here.

galwayrush

They will be very confused after reading mine LOL:pac::pac:

Run_to_da_hills

Deleted User wrote: »

The key phrase on the second page linked.. "those they are investigating"


Move along folks, nothing to see here.

Like those that are purchasing "head shop" products on line for personal use. (7 years :eek:)

Basically they will have the right to trawl through two years(EU data retention Directive) of records to see if you were any way out of line. If they wanted something to nab someone the will find it.

What pisses me off is that much of this stuff was rushed in under the Criminal Justice act last year and people didn't bat an eye lid. It was intended to track down crime gangs, the very same powers are now turning on the ordinary citizens of Ireland.

galwayrush

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Like those that are purchasing "head shop" products on line for personal use. (7 years :eek:)

Basically they will have the right to trawl through two years(EU data retention Directive) of records to see if you were any way out of line. If they wanted something to nab someone the will find it.

What pisses me off is that much of this stuff was rushed in under the Criminal Justice act last year and people didn't bat an eye lid. It was intended to track down crime gangs, the very same powres are now turning on the ordinary citizens of the country.

We are guilty until proven innocent when it comes to the Revenue people.:rolleyes:

Run_to_da_hills

galwayrush wrote: »

We are guilty until proven innocent when it comes to the Revenue people.:rolleyes:

They have effectivly more power than the Gardai when it comes to searching, warrants etc. :eek:

CrazyRabbit

djhunter30 wrote: »

The Sun?

He meant Newspaper, not toilet paper.

Atlantic Dawn

The new UK government coalition has scrapped the data retention provisions setup by the outgoing Labour party, hopefully the same can be done here when there's an election.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

I'm unclear, can they search without obtaining warrants?
If so then surely there will be huge constitutional difficulties

Biggins

Right - there sems to be some confusion over this matter.
Here is some info:

Under EU law, Ireland HAS to retain info.

The law requires telecom service providers to retain all records on phone calls, text messages and emails for between six months and two years to help security forces and police when investigating serious crime and terrorism.

Source: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/ideycwojql/#ixzz0o0j7uPqL

See section 15 of this item: http://www.scribd.com/doc/20070201/Draft-memorandum

Also relevant info here: http://www.digitalrights.ie/2009/07/13/thoughts-on-the-new-data-retention-bill/

Needless to say, in the I.T. community and the intelligence gathering community, it comes as no surprise that your emails, call and texts are being kept and read.
The fact that one government department, be it the revenue department in this case, is having a peek at items being sent is not new news to others.

Thats why those that know what they are doing use PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption and to combat that - certain government now have or are bringing laws to ensure you hand over to them even a copy of your encryption key to unlock your items. Unless you do so in some countries, a presumption of guilt is assumed before you are found innocent.

Last year the plans behind this whole matter was put to one politician:

...politician Niall Collins trotted out the bogus "if you've got nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear" line that is a sure sign a politician doesn't know what he or she is talking about. As if to prove the point, Collins was then asked if he would be willing to provide his mobile phone bills and data on his email usage for the past two years (as the bill requires) he claimed not to understand the question and then refused to do so

See: http://techdirt.com/articles/20090714/1100305545.shtml

True extent of State's phone tapping could remain secret: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/true-extent-of-states-phone-tapping-could-remain-secret-1820417.html

All email, text and phone records to be kept for 2 years: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/all-email-text-and-phone-records-to-be-kept-for-2-years-1820026.html

Ireland joins new war on internet criminals: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ireland-joins-new-war-on-internet-criminals-1510794.html

In a state of surveillance: http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/in-a-state-of-surveillance-1301589.html

---

If you want to avoid data retention, there is simple software you can use to do it and simple mechanisms such as using a non-EU web-based email provider.
Telephony monitoring can be avoided by purchasing a pre-pay mobile SIM card.
All this is well known amid those that wish to retain last vestiges of privacy and tight security, be it business or personal.
(The Chinese government/businesses alone is hacking daily into company sites and stealing data/files/product plans alone. Having all that lovely info possibly on one Dublin server will them make a nice target for such hackers!
Talk about sending out an invitation...)

Run_to_da_hills

Pennsylvania tax Amnesty Ad -- We Know Who You Are!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8EjQrrsZIU

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

He does say this however...

Mr Ahern pointed out that the constitutional right of citizens to privacy was protected because the bill did not allow for the content of phone calls, text messages or emails to be stored or retrieved.

So they cannot see what you text, hear what you said or read your emails? Or is this worded so we believe that is the case? They cannot be stored or retrieved, but can they be accessed?

I mean, everybody has something to hide, be it legal or not. I don't want somebody reading my text messages as many of them are very private and something I only shared with the person I sent the message to.

91011

Look - this was in the daily muck mail. I don't think I have eever seen a really truthful piece of journalism in that rag.

It is probably the most sensationalist rag paper that exists - even more so than the evening hysterical.


Yes, the revenue can go though your phone records & email records and have been able to do so for many years. It has been particulary useful in CAB operations. For the normal everyday taxpayer, it will have no bearing whatsoever as it would only be of use to the revenue if they had already found something dodgy in a normal audit.

AARRRRGH

I can tell you all that right now that anything you do is monitored by your employer. We dont work for one client who has not asked us to implement monitoring of its staff. All your posts on message boards, web sites visited and emails are kept and monitored.

This idea for the revenue comes as no surprise.

galwayrush

The revenue can check all they want, anyone with anything to hide won't be using any communication medium in a way that can be traced so it's all a load of bollocks and will only affect the privacy of decent people.

Ulysses Gaze

When are the Revenue going to do something about the fact that Our 'Glorious' Former Taoiseach Ahern hasn't got a tax clearance certificate?

It's all very well trying to implement a hi-tech system but if they can't, or most probably won't, do the basics right........