Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Company Law - Essay Example In recent years, UK government measures increasingly impinge on privacy. This was after the enactment of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Act of 2000 that has granted more powers to the UK government to intercept different kinds of information. The main reason for the enactment of the RIP Act was to ensure that security and law enforcement agencies in the UK had enough powers granted to them, so as to be able to do their jobs effectively, especially with the growth of new technologies that have raised security concerns. With this, it is clear that â€Å"the UK views cyber attacks against individuals and corporations as civil and criminal issues that can be handled accordingly.†4 However, the act has profound effects on organizations and investors associated with the UK. Consequently, there have been concerns raised over the regulation of such powers and the fact that most investors and shareholders would prefer to only have very little of their information intercep ted and disclosed. Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Act of 2000 This act incorporates monitoring and interception of communications. â€Å"RIP dictates that every electronic communication has to be sent to the Government Technical Assistance Center (GTAC).†5 In the case that a warrant for the disclosure of information is issued, the person whom protected material is addressed to is required to disclose the information. Investigatory powers covered by the act include the obtaining of communication data, the interception of communications, hidden surveillance in particular operations, intrusive surveillance, legal right to encrypted information, and the use of undercover officers, informants, and agents.6 Under the RIP Act of 2000, all Internet Service Providers are required to intercept all communications data created, sent, or transmitted through the United Kingdom’s networks, and route it to the Government Technical Assistance Center. The RIP Act 2000 supports tipping-off of employers and companies by employees. Upon request by the government of the UK, any company official is required to surrender any requested information, and the law bares him or her from informing anyone about such an action, including the security staff, senior management, and employers.7 There are punishments for those who violate tipping-off regulations by informing others that they have disclosed private information, and such offenders get up to five years imprisonment. International companies and stakeholders associated with the UK are very uncomfortable with this law, since they might operate assuming that they hold secure company information, while the UK may have gotten well aware about it through interception. Impacts of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Act of 2000 The United Kingdom’s RIP Act 2000 is a great invasion of privacy for different parties. This is because the act allows interception of internet communications, gives legal right s to access of encrypted information, and allows surveillance. Companies and individuals are required by the UK