Thread by @libertyhq

BREAKING

Liberty wins legal case against the #SnoopersCharter - the powers used to spy on the UK population.

It is UNLAWFUL for security services to get people's private phone records, texts, location + internet history without independent authorisation.
libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/liberty-…

Today the High Court has ruled it is unlawful for the security services – MI5, MI6 and GCHQ – to obtain people's communications data from telecom providers without having prior independent authorisation, when those bodies are carrying out criminal investigations.

Since 2016, the Investigatory Powers Act (aka #SnoopersCharter) has given state agencies access to our private communications and personal information regardless of whether they suspect us of any wrongdoing.

Including telephone records, texts, location and internet history.

The Court said there are insufficient safeguards here, and now, when carrying out criminal investigations, the security services can't get private data from telecom providers without having first obtained independent approval that this is necessary and proportionate.

This requirement already applies for the police.

The Court said there's no reason for the security services not to be subject to the same safeguards as the police when also conducting the same criminal investigative function.

Can't stress enough that this case relates to the security agencies' investigations of crime.

It does not relate to their national security functions.