Come on the Theresa, if you've nothing to hide...

Just came across this rather brilliant FOI request to The Home Office, asking for access to details of all Theresa Mays internet activity, in exact correlation with the reports on the information that would be available under the proposed snooping legislation.

From: Matt Dodd

3 April 2012

Dear Home Office,

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 I hereby request the
following information from and regarding the Rt Hon Theresa May MP
(Con), Secretary of State for the Home Department (the "Home
Secretary"):

1) The projected cost to the taxpayer (calculated or estimated -
whichever is available) of implementing the Government's proposed
new legislation regarding extending the use of communications data
by the police and security services.

2) The date, time, and recipient of every email sent by the Home
Secretary over the last 12 months.

3) The date, time, and sender of every email received by the Home
Secretary over the last 12 months.

4) The date, time, and recipient of every internet telephony call
(e.g. "Skype" call) made by the Home Secretary over the last 12
months.

5) The date, time, and sender of every internet telephony call
(e.g. "Skype" call) received by the Home Secretary over the last 12
months.

6) The date, time, and recipient of every internet "chat" (e.g.
"Facebook" or "Windows Live Messenger") initiated by the Home
Secretary over the last 12 months.

7) The date, time, and sender of every internet "chat" (e.g.
"Facebook" or "Windows Live Messenger") received by the Home
Secretary over the last 12 months.

8) The date, time, and internet address (URL) of every website
visited by the Home Secretary over the last 12 months.

Yours faithfully,

Matthew Dodd


It puts The Home Office in a slightly invidious position. Deny the request on the basis of cost and it highlights the huge potential costs of the new laws. Say yes, and it opens all sorts of doors...and reveals probably rather a lot of information MS. May doesn't want made public.

Of course, it will be denied. But it makes the point rather well...

Hats off the Mr. Dodd>