Data protection act and IM's?...?

Question

OK a few weeks ago I asked about what happens to IM messages after the IM window is closed...to see that question you can go here>>> http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgW.HJ8ru64JNnhlFCZ6tqDty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080802141717AAhM3ls

One answerer said in part "however msn always have a log of all conversations, and they usually stored for 1 month, they cant store them forever .... data protection act!"

So my question today is this! What is this data protection act? And why does it limit places like MSN and Yahoo to a month? AND what happens at the end of that month?

*curious geek*

Answer 1

Here is explanation (and a copy) of the Data Protection Act..

Be warned however, it's a law in England, not U.S..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Protec...

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/Acts1998/ukp...

http://www.legislation.org.uk/

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The U.S, counterpart to that would be the Patriot Act, which does just the opposite of protecting us, it gives our governemnt the legal right  to covertly spy on us by every possible means, including inventing new ones -and it even

provides the cash to do that.

Are your IM's being monitored?

It says something  in the yahoo messengeer agreement you 'accepted'...you could resign up so you could actually read that (well, we ALL dont read those and just click 'I accept' right?) ... I do remember reading something there regarding this matter.

In any case, know that our government is keeping track even of what books you take out of the library, and it has the ability to seize google's records anytime it pleases. They can tap your phone and you'd never know. (and they do...I just watched a guy get jail for what he said on the phone)...oh and ya ever see gooogle earth?  Well, the government has the version  which can  zoom in those last few feet.

Bottom line is if you give them any reason to investigate you (like if you use language that red flags, say about terrorism or seditious activities or certain types of p**n and etcetera) then they will put you under surveillance while they collect what they need to bust you, and you'll never know what happened. Just one day the door will burst open and some abusive snickering hoodlums will come in and ransack your place and shackle you.

Methodfs of surveillance include also the old van across the street method (where they point a sound dish at your house)...so EVEN just speaking in privacy of your home isnt necessarily private.

Also consider that -well, I do- for instance-  I have to present my drivers license, on camera to buy groceries now.

Yes I do. In my state thats hpow it is.

And there are cameras EVERYWHERE.

So I'm telling you, SAY nothing, and write nothing down

Ever see Get Smart?  Remeber the "cone of silence'?

Well ya need one of those!

Because yes everything you say can be heard by some means.

...oh, and how do they sift through it all?  if they collect everybody's IM's for instance, how could they POSSIBLY go through all that and find the alleged evil-doers?  --->search words  -->red flag phrases.  -->you know how fast computers can search through data--->the pentagon has arranged this, and it's in use now. I saw it on C-SPAN four years ago.

Answer 2

i believe with "yahoo" that by asking or answering you are deemed to give your AorQ to yahoo they own it therefore as such you have signed away your rights to data protection.

if you check~you will find unanswered questions from 12 months ago on this site.

hope this helps.