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$1,000 BOUNTY offered for FINGERPRINTS of a GLOBAL SPY CHIEF
Privacy campaigner Simon Davies is offering a $1,000 bounty for the capture of the DNA and fingerprints of spy chiefs.
The 21st century treasure hunt offers a $1,000 cash windfall for anyone who supplies the Privacy Surgeon site run by Davies with an item – such as a drinking glass – with the DNA and fingerprints of any senior …
UK.gov's love affair with ID cards: Curse or farce?
In the general election held three years ago, every party except Labour and the Monster Raving Loony Party (which just may have been having a laugh) had ID card abolition in their manifestos, including the Conservatives, Lib Dems, Scottish Nationalists, the Pirate Party, Cornish separatists Mebyon Kernow and the BNP.
But Labour …
Snoopers Charter is for 'incompetent criminals, accidental anarchists'
The Information Commissioner Christopher Graham has characterised the Home Office's proposed law to massively increase surveillance of the internet in the UK as one that would only be capable of capturing stupid criminals.
Graham told a committee of MPs and peers on Tuesday that the draft Communications Data Bill as it stands …
Gov and ISPs clash over informal policing of net
A row is brewing today between government and ISPs following suggestions that greater informal policing of internet content might be needed, along with a new self-regulatory body to carry out the task.
The proposal arose as Culture Minister Ed Vaizey spoke at the Internet Watch Foundation's (IWF) 2010 Annual Report launch …
BBC accused of coming out for porn opt-in?
The BBC was today accused of ignoring its own charter requirement to offer balance by coming down firmly on the side of opt-in in respect of internet porn regulation.
An "alliance of the concerned" drawn from academics and individuals representing the adult film industry added their voices to a chorus of dissent, claiming that …
Jacqui Smith 'shocked' to discover we're drowning in sea of porn
Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has professed herself "shocked" at the availability of porn on the internet after investigating the issue for a radio documentary.
Which raises the question of what exactly she thought she was cracking down on during her time in charge of law and order.
Smith famously left her job as Gordon …
Project Champion Report misses targets
On 30 September, the Chief Constable of West Midlands went on TV to apologise for its plans to undertake comprehensive and overt CCTV surveillance of all cars and individuals who entered or left the Sparkhill area of Birmingham.
This apology comes even though “No cameras associated with the Project have ever been used” and the …
Labour clings to the good old days
New Labour may be out of government – but not according to the personal websites of several of their leading lights.
On Monday, we reported on attempts by former Identity Minister, Meg Hillier to derail coalition attempts to unpick Labour’s Identity Card plans. We were amused to note that according to her site, she was still …
Jacqui Smith and Charles Clarke shown the door
Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith heads the list of high profile Labour casualties this morning.
Meanwhile current party top brass thought to be under threat, such as Ed Balls, have so far been returned by their constituents.
Karen Lumley, Smith's Tory opponent in the Redditch constituency overturned a majority of 1,948 to win …
UKIP suspends Scouse candidate over sado smut movies
While the Lib Dems may have no qualms about running Anna Arrowsmith, a maker of serious female-oriented porn as a candidate in Gravesham, Kent, UKIP are having some difficulty swallowing the notion that one of their candidates may have been involved at the sharp end of smut-making.
They have therefore suspended the membership of …
Head of Stats warns politicians: 'Hands off our numbers!'
UK Party leaders were this week on the receiving end of a sharp rap to the knuckles, as a letter from the Head of the UK Statistics Authority, the aptly named Sir Michael Scholar, warned them to keep their paws off official stats for the duration of the election campaign.
The letter is a masterpiece of understatement, combining …
Directgov battles terrorism with report-a-website page
The Home Office has launched a page for people to report online extremism and terror-related content.
The section of the Directgov website will link directly to a team within the Association of Chief Police Officers Prevent Delivery Unit for investigation.
The site starts by checking people are not trying to report an actual …
UK.gov moves to block Hamas kids site
The Home Office is considering blocking a childrens' website run by the Palestinian group Hamas following suggestions it incites hatred of Jews.
Liverpool MP Louise Ellman, chair of the Labour Jewish Movement, has called on ministers to block access to al-Fateh.net, a webzine launched by Hamas in 2002. Alongside baking recipes …
Mouse nest found in London copper's paperwork
A South London copper has been described as "a little embarrassed" after discovering mice had taken up residence in paperwork on his Kennington desk.
The rodent hideaway was exposed when pest control operatives were called in after staff "came across a number of mice at a police building", as an internal police report explains …
Police snapper silliness reaches new heights
After lagging well behind other forces for most of the year, City of London Police are now making a late surge to take the coveted El Reg prize for most absurd photographic intervention of 2009.
We were not especially impressed by their sending of seven officers in three cars and a riot van to deal with architectural …
Scientists flee Home Office after adviser sacking
The Home Office faces mass resignations by its consulting scientists after its clumsy gagging attempt on top drug adviser David Nutt.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson sacked Nutt on Friday apparently for disagreeing with government policy, which has effectively ignored the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which …
Top drug boffin renews criticism of cannabis policy
The Home Office's chief drug advisor has today stoked the row over the reclassification of cannabis and ecstasy, accusing the government of "devaluing" scientific evidence.
Professor David Nutt heads the committee of boffins that advises the Home Office on drug classification.
Last year then-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith ignored …
ID card support hits bottom under Brown
Support for the government's ID card scheme has slumped to its lowest level yet, according to research by NO2ID.
The research, carried out by ICM research, showed that 60 per cent of the UK population think that ID cards are a "bad idea" with 38 per cent saying they are a good idea. The national identity database - which will …
Home Office jumps the gun on DNA research
The single most significant piece of research cited by the government in its review of current DNA practice was incomplete and published prematurely following pressure from the Home Office.
This inconvenient undermining of the consultation process came to light as the BBC did some background research into the issue, following …
Home Office minister owned by own rules
Home Office minister and Attorney General Baroness Scotland - the government's chief law officer and the woman who put in place rules making businesses take the blame for employing illegal immigrants - has been caught apparently employing, er, an illegal immigrant.
The Baroness has now terminated the employment of her …