Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. monitor (v.) [mon-i-ter] to observe an activity without interrupting it
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. monitor (v.) [mon-i-ter] to observe an activity without interrupting it
Example: Government monitors
phone calls to keep the public safe.
2. intelligence
agency (n.) [in-tel-i-juhns][ey-juhn-see] – a government department that gets information for
the purpose of lawmaking or peace keeping
Example: The intelligence agency found information
about the location of the terrorists.
3. warrant (n.) [wawr-uhnt, wor-] – an official document that allows someone to do a certain action
Example: The police presented a
warrant to search the house.
4. surveillance (n.) [ser-vey-luhns, -veyl-yuhns] – the act of closely observing a person or a group
Example: The store is under surveillance to prevent theft.
5. execution (n.) [ek-si-kyoo-shuhn] – the act of putting a plan or decision into action
Example: Execution of the new laws will be done next month.
Article
Read the text below.
A new law may soon
allow the UK government to monitor people’s
mobile phone and Internet activities.
The law will
require communications companies to give the UK’s intelligence agency, GCHQ, real-time access to data from calls,
texts and e-mails. The agency will also be able to learn which websites
people visit.
Intelligence officers
will be able to identify who a person or group is in contact with, how often communication
happens, and for how long people communicate with each other. To learn the
actual content of a message, however, a warrant
is still needed.
According to the
Home Office, the department responsible for UK security, the new law will
ensure that communications data stay available even as technology continues
to change. These data could then help in solving crime and monitoring
terrorism activity.
However, freedom
rights groups are against the law, because it challenges people’s right to
privacy. Under the new law, the government can access not only criminal and
terrorist activities, but personal activities of ordinary people as well.
Nick Pickles,
director of the group Big Brother Watch, says there is no assurance that this
surveillance strategy can really
improve public safety. He says the law’s execution
will also add huge costs to Internet businesses.
But before the law becomes
final, it still needs approval from the Parliament. Officials have already tried
making similar laws in the past, but were unsuccessful because their
suggestions were met with anger and concern from opposing groups.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
How can the Internet and mobile technology be
used for harm?
·
What can be done to avoid the misuse of these
technologies?
Discussion B
·
Why is a person’s privacy important?
·
Should a person give up his privacy to help the
government keep peace?
