Interception Modernisation Programme

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} The '''Interception Modernisation Programme''' (IMP) was a UK government initiative to extend the government's capabilities for lawful interception and storage of communications data. It was widely reported that the IMP's eventual goal was to store details of all UK communications data in a central database.<ref>[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/07/detica_interception_modernisation/ "Spy chiefs plot £12bn IT spree for comms überdatabase"]. ''The Register''. 7 October 2008.</ref>

The proposal was similar to the NSA Call Database (MAINWAY) established by GCHQ's American counterpart NSA and the Titan traffic database established by the Swedish National Defence Radio Establishment.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wright|first=Joss|title=The government's proposal for data communications surveillance will be invasive and costly with minimal effectiveness|journal=British Politics and Policy at LSE}}</ref>

In 2008 plans were being made to collect data on all phone calls, emails, chatroom discussions and web-browsing habits as part of the IMP, thought likely to require the insertion of 'thousands' of black box probes into the country's computer and telephone networks.<ref>{{cite news |title=There's no hiding place as spy HQ plans to see all |url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4882622.ece |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100106082625/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4882622.ece |url-status= dead |archive-date= 6 January 2010 |work=The Sunday Times |date=5 October 2008 |accessdate=8 February 2009 |location=London | first=David |last=Leppard |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The proposals were expected to be included in the Communications Data Bill 2008. The "giant database" would include telephone numbers dialled, the websites visited and addresses to which e-mails are sent "but not the content of e-mails or telephone conversations."<ref>{{cite news |title=Concern over giant database idea |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7671046.stm |quote=The government's terror watchdog has expressed concern about proposals for a giant database to store details of all phone calls, e-mails and internet use. |work=BBC News |date=15 October 2008 |accessdate=15 October 2008 }}</ref> Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat Home affairs spokesman said: "The government's Orwellian plans for a vast database of our private communications are deeply worrying."<ref>{{cite news |title=Giant database plan 'Orwellian' |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7671046.stm |quote=Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "The government's Orwellian plans for a vast database of our private communications are deeply worrying." "I hope that this consultation is not just a sham exercise to soft-soap an unsuspecting public." |work=BBC News |date=15 October 2008 |accessdate=17 October 2008}}</ref> Despite this, the Home Office denied reports that a prototype of the IMP had already been built.<ref>[https://www.zdnet.com/article/home-office-denies-prototype-intercept-database/ Home Office denies prototype intercept database]</ref>

Reports in April 2009 suggested that the government had changed its public stance to one of using legal measures to compel communications providers to store the data themselves, and making it available for government to access; then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith stated that "there are absolutely no plans for a single central store."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/home-office-rules-out-telephone-surveillance-database-$1291053.htm |title=Home Office rules out telephone surveillance database |work=politics.co.uk |first=Ian |last=Dunt |date=27 April 2009 |accessdate=27 April 2009 |archive-date=27 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527184144/http://www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/home-office-rules-out-telephone-surveillance-database-$1291053.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The new plans were thought to involve spending £2bn on paying ISPs to install deep packet inspection equipment within their own networks, and obliging them to perform the cross-correlation and profiling of their users' behaviour themselves,<ref>[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/27/imp_consultation/ "UK.gov to spend £2bn on ISP tracking"]. ''The Register''. 27 April 2009.</ref> in effect achieving the original goals of the IMP by different means.

A detailed analysis was published by the Policy Engagement Network of the London School of Economics<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/informationSystems/research/policyEngagement/IMP_Briefing.pdf |title=LSE IMP Briefing |access-date=17 July 2009 |archive-date=14 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614052858/http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/informationSystems/research/policyEngagement/IMP_Briefing.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> on 16 June 2009. The All Party Privacy Group held a hearing on IMP in the House of Commons on 1 July 2009.<ref>[http://privacyappg.org.uk/Documents/imp_enquiry_agenda.pdf APPG IMP Hearing Agenda 1 July 2009]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In 2010 the new coalition government apparently revived the IMP<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/10/programme-intercept-government A u-turn on reversing the surveillance state]</ref> in its Strategic Defence and Security Review.<ref>[http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/News-Stories/2010/Strategic-Defence-and-Security-Review/ "Strategic Defence and Security Review"] (Press release). Department for International Development. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611153343/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/News-Stories/2010/Strategic-Defence-and-Security-Review/ |date=11 June 2011 }}</ref> The new version of the IMP was known as the Communications Capabilities Development Programme.<ref name=mitchell-2012-02-20>{{cite news |url=http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/security/372985/anger-over-mass-web-surveillance-plans |title=Anger over mass web surveillance plans |first=Stewart |last=Mitchell |work=PC Pro |date=20 February 2012 |access-date=20 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218075303/http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/security/372985/anger-over-mass-web-surveillance-plans |archive-date=18 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.openrightsgroup.org/orgwiki/index.php/Intercept_Modernisation Intercept Modernisation] at the Open Rights Group wiki

Category:Surveillance Category:Civil rights and liberties in the United Kingdom Category:Mass intelligence-gathering systems Category:Surveillance databases Category:Government databases in the United Kingdom Category:Home Office (United Kingdom) Category:GCHQ