Hugo Rifkind. Extract:

Ripa already allows interception of messages, with a warrant. It seems to me that, if you’re genuinely worried that terrorists and criminals are chatting on Twitter, ­Blackberry  Messenger or Skype, then your best bet for keeping tabs on them is to talk nicely to Twitter, Blackberry or Skype. Using this as a justification for monitoring all internet traffic anywhere makes about as much sense as trying to solve a single case of stalking by putting literally everybody in jail. Plus, it won’t work. Ten years ago, I remember reading that terrorists were communicating by logging into Hotmail in, say, Karachi, writing a draft message, and then waiting for somebody else to log into the same account and read it in, say, Texas. Nothing is sent, so there’s nothing to intercept.

Monitoring all internet traffic could help you see who is visiting vile or criminal websites, such as those enabling terrorism, paedophilia, or donations to political parties. But only if the visitor in question is a moron. You know the way the Great Firewall of China doesn’t work, at all? You’ve heard about that? It’s pathetically simple to browse in a manner which is effectively encrypted or anonymous; Google it and you’ll be up and running in half an hour. Give it five years, and there will be an app for that, simple enough for your mum to use.

Seems he’s not aware of Orbot, which is almost mum-proof.

via Columnists | The Spectator.