SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES AND GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE

That this House notes with concern the Home Office's consideration of a government database for monitoring activities of law-abiding citizens on social network websites such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace; highlights that these sites contain sensitive data on individuals which the Government has no right to know; further notes recent failures by Government Departments to keep confidential data secure; further notes that police can monitor social networking accounts of those suspected of criminality, under existing warrant procedures; and urges the Government to drop any plans for blanket monitoring of all users on social networking websites.