GCHQ is all set to keep an eye on the social networking sites and even keep a track of the conversations of the members of the sites, in order to intensify the security of the country. The move, as they are reporting, will help in enhancing the mechanism to track down any threat by any terrorist groups.
According to reports, all the social networking sites can act as a potential source of gathering intelligence data and the security agency of GCHQ is busy to develop new tools so that they can be used to decode the information they would need for the purpose. For this mission, they are even recruiting experts of computers, physics and even maths, who would come in handy for carrying out the operation.
The GCHQ shoulders the responsibility of monitoring the communications of overseas countries, and help in gathering intelligence necessary for conducting military operations. On the other hand, the agency is also entrusted to intercept communications at the domestic level, under the authorization of the minister of the state.
The information about using the networking sites as a defense mechanism has once again popped out the ethical question and the fact that the common people are gradually being drawn within the ambit of constant monitoring. Even the right to privacy in being infringed upon.
The civil activists have raised their voice against this decision that infringes upon the liberty of free speech and liberty of maintaining privacy. They are alleging that through this process, the government and the agencies are trying to virtually trying to become an authoritative figure, curbing the democratic rights of the citizens.
Source: Guardian.Co.UK