RIPA sets out rules which must be followed by law enforcement and other public sector bodies when they want to monitor and access e-mail, web and telephone communications for the purpose of criminal investigations.
Computer Weekly reports that the Home Office aims to identify the main privacy and human rights concerns associated with RIPA. The consultation process, scheduled for early next year, will have two objectives.
First, to determine which government agencies should be authorised to access communications data under RIPA. Second, to finalise a voluntary code of practice for telcos and ISPs to retain and store such data over extended periods under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act.
The ISP industry recently rejected a Home Office request to voluntarily retain customer data under the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act, due to cost and privacy concerns. However, if the voluntary code when prepared is not followed, it is expected that it will simply be made a mandatory requirement of ISPs.