INDEX	October 14, 2024
InPublishing News 17/10/2024 09:10 , 2024 Government introduces spying safeguards	From Monday 14 October 2024, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) says bodies such as MI5 and MI6 must get independent authorisation from the Investigatory Powers Commissioner before searching for or holding onto confidential journalistic material they obtain through ‘bulk’ interception of data and hacking people’s devices. The Home Office has tightened surveillance laws following a seven-year legal challenge from human rights organisation Liberty, supported by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). The Investigatory Powers Act 2016, known by many as the Snoopers’ Charter, enabled state bodies to handle and examine journalistic material unchecked. The new safeguard – which the previous Government conceded was necessary during the legal challenge and was introduced by the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 – will better protect communications between journalists and their sources, added the NUJ. Liberty will now withdraw this part of its long-standing legal battle against the 2016 legislation, the NUJ continued.
INDEX Jonathan Brind	October 14, 2024