Traffic data collected under the voluntary Code of Practice within the ATCS would provide a "complete map of a person's private life" according to the Foundation for Information Policy Research (FIRP). Records will include an individual's geographical location determined through their mobile phone, the sender and recipient information from emails, a complete log of a person's Internet sessions including their IP address, and the address of all Web sites visited.
The Data Protection Act 1998 states that a communications provider must only retain traffic data for the length of time necessary for legitimate billing purposes. But contained within the Act is a provision for cases of national security, where personal data may be stored for longer periods of time in order to assist in the prevention or detection of crime.
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