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A Democratic Licence to Operate
and exercised in many domains. Likewise, security is not a very clear concept, much less
national security.16
2.18
A second common aspect of public attitudes towards data and surveillance is a deficit of
trust and confidence in institutions. Private-sector companies seem to know more about
their users every day, and more personal information appears to be moving online. At
the same time, a significant portion of the public has doubts of the proper conduct of
the government via its security and law-enforcement agencies.
2.19
Prior to June 2013, when information provided by Snowden was first disclosed, people
were already aware that they may not be in complete control of their data when online. The
allegations over GCHQ’s TEMPORA programme and its interception of communications
via submarine fibre-optic cables were criticised as ‘surveillance on an industrial scale’
and ‘quite simply, the largest violation of the right to privacy in British history’.17 On the
other hand, the ISC has argued that the disclosures have led to ‘allegations, myths and
misconceptions about the Agencies and these have damaged... trust’.18
2.20
For members of the public, it can be hard to reconcile confidence and trust in the police
and SIAs with phrases such as ‘mass interception’, ‘snoopers’ charter’ and ‘bulk collection’.
This is why popular perceptions of public attitudes may seem disjointed. People expect
the police to be able to use bulk data interception techniques to track down missing
persons, but do not like thinking about their own data in the hands of the police or the
intelligence agencies. We do not want personal information to be used and sold without
our consent, yet often accept T&Cs without reading them first, or voluntarily hand over
personal information in exchange for free services.
2.21
In general terms, public attitudes towards the agencies, and towards data, privacy
and surveillance, have proved ambivalent since June 2013. The public debate over
surveillance has not been as pronounced or as animated as in some other countries.
Collectively, we may express worry or dissatisfaction about ‘bulk data interception’ while
individually supporting enhanced capabilities for the security and intelligence services
to keep us safe.
Perceptions of Data Privacy
2.22
As the market-research organisation Ipsos MORI itself points out, ‘there is no one public
opinion on data privacy’.19 In analysing the results of various polls, studies and surveys
conducted over the last three years, there is significant variation in public awareness of
16. Charles D Raab, uncorrected submission of evidence to the ISC Privacy and Security
Inquiry, Public Evidence Session 3, 7 February 2014.
17. Don’t Spy on Us, ‘Don’t Spy on Us: Reforming Surveillance in the UK’, 2014, p. 4.
18. Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament (ISC), Privacy and Security: A Modern
and Transparent Legal Framework (London: The Stationery Office, 2015), p. 107.
19. Ipsos MORI, ‘Understanding Society: The Power and Perils of Data’, 2014, p. 2.