14 DAY TRIAL // Over the past seven weeks, focus has primarily been on the NSA and the mass-surveillance program run by the American intelligence agency. However, there are other governments and projects mentioned in the top-secret documents leaked so far.
One of these projects that has clearly not gotten enough attention is Tempora, a program run by the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).
According to documents revealed so far, this program collects online and telephone traffic by extracting data from fiber-optic cable communications going through the United Kingdom.
Reports indicate that there is no distinction made between private citizens and targeted suspects when it comes to data collection.
And while there have been numerous movements decrying the programs run by the NSA, very few have been directed to Tempora and GCHQ.
However, there is at least one petition trying to put a stop to the British-run program. Stop Tempora is a petition that demands a debate in the Parliament over the implications of the GCHQ-run program.
It also asks for a full public consultation and a possible inquiry into the implications of Tempora and the impact it has on the individual’s human rights and the right to privacy stated under United Kingdom and European Union laws.
The project was launched about a month ago, its organizer says, and aims to gather 100,000 signatures.
Twelve days ago, it reached 1000 signatures, while 2000 signatures were reached yesterday. The number is constantly growing and it won’t be long before the target is reached.
Hopefully, the organizer says, some of the 193,000 people who also signed for the Snooper's Charter campaign will also choose to support this one as well.
Dave Miles, the one who initiated this petition, has already been in contact with several members of the British Parliament. He is also set to meet with one of them in an effort to get his point across.
He has also sent a "Subject Access Request" to GCHQ requesting information under the Data Protection Act, but he is yet to receive a response from the agency. As with all government agencies, there’s bureaucracy in place so it takes up to 40 days to get a response.
This type of letter requests any and all information the intelligence agencies have on an individual.
Another petition, called "Don’t Spy On Me" is trying to get EU leaders to take action against the United States and any other countries that are carrying out mass surveillance programs, including the United Kingdom.