The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act is expected to come into force in October. The Act is known as RIP - whether you see this as apt depends on the side you take in this debate. The first and third areas will affect e-commerce businesses, especially Internet service providers. The new law gives employees a new right to claim for unauthorised monitoring of their communications by employers.
Interception includes monitoring, modification or interference with the telecommunications system.
The Home Secretary may also authorise interception by warrant to protect national security, prevent or detect serious crime, safeguard the UK s economic well-being or under an international agreement. RIP imposes duties on telecommunications systems controllers. The Home Secretary can also require system controllers to maintain an approved capability to implement interception warrants. Critics suggested that black boxes would be required in every ISP giving security services access to traffic. The Government has denied this and said that only a limited number of ISPs will face any requirements.