LONDON: The five biggest internet companies in the world, including Google and Facebook, have privately delivered a thinly veiled warning to the British home secretary (interior minister), Theresa May, that they will not voluntarily co-operate with the “snooper's charter”.

In a leaked letter to the home secretary that is also signed by Twitter, Microsoft and Yahoo!, the web's “big five” say that May's rewritten proposals to track everybody's email, internet and social media use remain “expensive to implement and highly contentious”.

The private letter is part of a series of continuing confidential discussions between the industry and the Home Office. It says that May's “core premise” to create a new retention order requiring overseas internet companies to store the personal data of all their British-based users for up to 12 months has “potentially seriously harmful consequences”.

The US-based internet players have also told the home secretary that her proposed GBP1.8bn communications data plan puts at risk Britain's position as a leading digital nation and jeopardises the UK's leading role in promoting freedom of expression on the internet. The collaboration of the internet giants is vital for the success of May's communications data project but they warn that it opens the door to a “chaotic world” in which every country seeks to impose conflicting demands on companies in sensitive areas such as the collection and storage of personal data.

They say it would threaten the open nature of the internet - which means that it is available to anyone who accesses it - and would undermine their ability to offer a global service by companies working within the legal framework of their home jurisdiction.The private letter is dated April 18 when the coalition's battle over whether the legislation should be in this year's Queen's speech (the programme for the coming year) was at its peak. The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, blocked the bill days later but both May and the defence secretary, Philip Hammond, have demanded that it be revived in the wake of the Woolwich terrorist murder of a soldier.

By arrangement with the Guardian

Opinion

Editorial

China security ties
Updated 14 Nov, 2024

China security ties

If China's security concerns aren't addressed satisfactorily, it may affect bilateral ties. CT cooperation should be pursued instead of having foreign forces here.
Steep price
14 Nov, 2024

Steep price

THE Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is in big trouble. A new study unveiled at the ongoing COP29 reveals that if high...
A high-cost plan
14 Nov, 2024

A high-cost plan

THE government has approved an expensive plan for FBR in the hope of tackling its deep-seated inefficiencies. The...
United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.