We are bugged and spied on more than
anyone else in the free world - and it's all LEGAL, a shock People investigation
can reveal.
More than 800 bodies - from Whitehall departments to supermarkets -
can check intimate details of our lives.
And the movements, habits and even genetic profiles of every one of
us are logged an average of 300 times a day.
But as cyber-crooks learn to hack into Big Brother's information goldmines,
we are all at risk from blackmail, bullying and the erosion of liberties.
Some snooping is vital to thwart crime. But polls show 80 per cent
of Brits no longer trust the Government to keep our personal details
secret. And in a flurry of recent high-profile cases, Labour MP Sadiq
Khan, pictured below, was allegedly bugged visiting a terror suspect
in prison and hundreds of lawyers have said they were targeted by eavesdroppers
while advising jailed clients.
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David Murakami Wood, of the independent Surveillance Studies Network,
called it "shocking".
He said: "Most people don't understand how the information is
used.
"For example, details of supermarket loyalty and credit cards
are bought and sold to other companies to provide complex profiles of
individuals." Our damning dossier on these pages reveals some of
the ways we are monitored every day.
But in the future, new spy technologies will include: Remote-control
helicopters called spy-drones which are fitted with CCTV cameras.
Smart cards for pupils to let parents check attendance, academic performance,
eating habits and even drug tests.
Microchip implants for kids so families can track them.
Mini-cameras fitted to lampposts and walls and linked to spy-drones
to monitor people in Britain's streets.
Biometric tests for job-seekers to highlight genetic illnesses.
And psychometric profiles to scrutinise the lifestlyes of potential
employees.
AERIAL SURVEILLANCE
High-resolution online aerial photos are available on map websites like
Google Earth and Microsoft's Virtual Earth. A new service from 192.com
zooms in close enough to identify individuals in the street, allowing
snoops to monitor our every move.
SATELLITE TRACKING
Some insurance companies insist that satellite tracking systems are
installed on young drivers' cars as a condition of giving them cover.
Police also have a legal right to track movements of all cars and keep
the details on record for over five years.
CATALOGUES
If you join a catalogue your bank details go to thousands of other firms
in the Abacus datasharing consortium which holds info on 26 MILLION
people.
FINGER PRINTING
Seven million sets of fingerprints are held in Britain. The US, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand and Britain are in talks about sharing fingerprints,
palm and iris prints via a huge database called "Server in the
Sky".
DNA DATABASE
The national DNA database set up in 1995 to help police now stores the
unique genetic fingerprints of four million Britains. One million of
those have never been convicted of a crime but had their sample collected
as a witness or suspect.
BIOMETRIC PASSPORTS
New passports carry Radio Frequency Identification chips encoded with
personal information. But security experts fear the chips can be cloned
by hackers to steal the holder's ID.
FOREIGN TRAVEL
America's Fbi is given names, birthdays, addresses, sex, phone numbers,
email addresses, credit card details and nationalities of all transatlantic
air passengers within 15 minutes of take-off under an EU deal.
PHONE TAPPING
Police can bug phone calls and emails at the request of more than 800
bodies, including councils and NHS trusts. Almost 1,000 people a DAY
are snooped on. UK and US government spooks spy on calls via the joint
Echelon computer system that spots key words.
HELMET CAMS
Many police forces now use mini cameras hidden in officers' helmets,
allowing them to monitor and record people they speak to while on duty.
The portable systems can store hundreds of hours of material and provide
instant playback on a small screen.
OYSTER CARDS
More than six million commuters in London use the pre-paid Oyster card
system. Police use of the smart card system to track suspects shot up
300 per cent in one year - sparking fears it could lead to a black market
in cards.
INTERNET SEARCHES
Every website visited is logged and can be accessed by snoops. All search
engine queries are monitored and can be used to build up a person's
profile. Google - who make billions from advertising - can target users
with online ads tailored to their lifestyles. In 2006 AOL accidentally
released 20million users' search queries.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Sites like Facebook and MySpace are easy-pickings for spies and hackers.
Many users willingly list their personal profiles, intimate information
and even embarrassing photographs of themselves.
NHS FILES
A £32BILLION NHS computer system is being uploaded with files
on 50million patients. Staff will have access to confidential details
of illnesses, sexual health, affairs and paternity tests.
CAN CAMS
Mini digital cameras hidden in baked bean and empty drink cans are being
used to trap people illegally dumping rubbish. The £7,000 cams
are left in notorious dumping sites to trap fly-tippers.
TV DETECTORS
Detector vans were launched 45 years ago but today's hi-tech handheld
detectors can trace licence dodgers in individual flats in huge blocks.
More than 25million of Britain's 28million homes do have a licence but
1,000 evaders are caught each day.
MOBILE RECORDS
Details of every mobile call and text made are stored by phone companies
for 12 months.
Mobiles may also be used to track people's movements. Even when switched
off, signals are logged by phone masts. Experts measure their strength
to pinpoint somebody's whereabouts through triangulation.
PROPERTY DATABASE
Council tax chiefs access a database of 16million homes to update bills.
Estate agents pass details of sales or rentals to a firm with a £6million
government contract.
TRAFFIC CAMS
The Automatic Number Plate Recognition system will link up more than
1,000 traffic cameras tracking our car journeys. The infrared cameras
can read 3,000 registration plates an hour on vehicles doing up to 100mph.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT CAMS
Travellers on innocent trips for business or leisure are spied on every
step of their journey. Buses, trains, Tube stations and airports all
have CCTV. Pedestrians are caught on dozens of cameras in city streets.
SPEED CAMS
More than two million motorists are now caught by Britain's 6,000 speed
cameras every year - logging their whereabouts at a specific time.
SURVEILLANCE CAMS
Vans check on cars without tax, MOT or insurance. Private clampers can
also trace vehicle owners by contacting the DVLA.
CCTV
Britain has 4.2million CCTV cameras. We are captured on camera around
300 times a day in town centres, car parks, bus lanes, traffic junctions
and at cash machines.
LOYALTY CARDS
More than 30million customers have cards with 160 companies. Every purchase
is recorded and customers are made offers based on buying habits. Experts
claim they can predict major life events for holders like marriage,
pregnancies and divorce.
MI5, MI6
GCHQ & FBI
Local councils
Police, SOCA
Fire and ambulance
Serious Fraud Office
Fbi, MoD
Nhs Trusts
Banks & insurance
DVLA
Charity Com'sn
Rural Payments Agency
Min of Justice
Web firms
Health & Safety Executive
Post Office
Passport Agency
High St stores
Work and Pensions Dept
Phone
firms