GCHQ has no plans to monitor the public

The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is denying reports that it is preparing to proceed with plans to monitor all phone calls and internet usage.

This follows a report in the Sunday Times which claimed that GCHQ is planning to create a database where all of this information will be stored and used by whoever needs to access it, without the need for a court order.

Only last month a law was passed that requires internet service providers to store data for twelve months, while GCHQ says that it only uses interception for national security, economic safety and the prevention and detection of serious crimes.

Interception by GCHQ or any other agency that does fall into those categories is illegal and therefore is not carried out.