Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and other civilian spy agencies are lobbying the government to weaken legislation they consider “disproportionately burdensome” as it limits their ability to use AI to sift through vast Bulk Personal Datasets (BPDs).

MI6, MI5, and GCHQ’s cyber spies say they use BPDs to identify potential terrorists and future informants but privacy groups like Big Brother Watch worry about intrusive state surveillance - as revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden - and argue the rise of AI demands stronger laws, not a relaxed approach.

The intelligence agencies proposed changes to barrister David Anderson - Lord Anderson of Ipswich - during his review of Britain’s Investigatory Powers Act 2016 including Part 7, which deals with requirements for warrants to examine or retain BPDs. Lord Anderson’s report, completed in June 2023, sheds light on a dark corner of the intelligence community and its relationship with AI. The report is being reviewed by Britain’s Home Secretary.
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What are Bulk Personal Datasets?

BPDs include information British residents must provide if they are born or reside in the UK. Intelligence agencies use the datasets to 'join the dots' about who people are, what they do, who they know, where they go, and where they have been. BPDs also hold data about people unlikely to be on the radar of intelligence agencies, including those who have died. 
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Although MI5, MI6 and GCHQ use BPDs, they don't provide detailed lists of datasets because of national security concerns. MI5 director general Andrew Parker reportedly said that alongside communications data the use of “travel data, passport information or other datasets” was “fundamental to our work”.

Human rights group Privacy International claim BPDs contain any personal data including social media activities, travel data, and the finance-related activity of individuals.

Big Brother Watch says it is also logical to assume BPDs include electoral rolls, driving and vehicle licenses, credit reference agency databases, Land Registry records, National Insurance numbers (similar to a US Social Security number), tax returns, Britain’s passport database, data from ANPR cameras, passenger name records from flights, and data from ‘Oyster cards’ that Londoners use to tap in and tap out on public transit.

"These examples are just a small number of datasets we believe are collected,” under the Investigatory Powers Act, Big Brother Watch says.

Bulk data oversight ‍

Under the Investigatory Powers Act (2016) - passed to govern the use and oversight of investigatory powers by Britain’s spies and police - civilian intelligence agencies use two types of warrants to access BPDs which are authorized by a Secretary of State and 'reviewed' and 'approved' by a Judicial Commissioner. 

The existence of BPDs was first publicly disclosed on March 12, 2015, when the Intelligence and Security Committee published its report Privacy and Security: A Modern and Accountable Legal Framework.

In his 2023 findings, Lord Anderson said the agencies’ proposals would replace existing safeguards - such as the approval of a judge before BPDs could be examined and retained - with a quicker process of self-authorization.

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Is Big Brother watching?‍

Privacy International, human rights group Liberty, and other organizations are urging the UK government to uphold existing BPDs' safeguards. “It should not be made easier to store the data of people who are not under suspicion by the state, especially such large datasets affecting so many people,” a Liberty lawyer said.

“Any temptation in this review to recommend legislative changes which widen bulk powers or lessen safeguards should be fiercely resisted.”