They straightened our bananas, they robbed us of our imperial measurements, they’ve set more directives then there are hairs on a shaggy dog. And now the EU has set in motion a series of events that will allow the police to hack into your PC without permission. It’s called remote searching, and such a search can be granted should the plod believe it “necessary to prevent or detect serious crime”.

European Union’s council of ministers in Brussels has given the thumbs up to the warrantless intrusive surveillance of private property, allowing foreign police forces to ask British bobbies to hack into someone’s UK computer on their behalf.

Rather understandably, plenty of folk including opposition MPs and civil liberties groups are upset about the decision, because in contrast to the legal safeguards for searching a suspect’s home, police undertaking a remote search don’t need to apply to a magistrates’ court for a warrant.

The plans are still under development, and they’re only likely to snoop if you’re being very, very naughty. That’s not the point though, is it?

* PCs as in personal computers; Police Constables are free to poke around one another – they’re consenting adults, after all

[The Times]