ASK ME ANYTHING: Thomas Beagle

The Tech Liberty campaigner fields readers' questions from the GCSB Bill to the  the three-strikes file sharing law to his fish-n'-chip diet secret.

Chris Keall
Thu, 11 Jul 2013

The rise of new forms of surveillance technology, and our allies' enthusiasm for using it, means debate around the GCSB Bill, and the companion telecommunications intercept legislation, is one of the defining arguments of our time.

Where do we find the balance between personal freedom and privacy, and security?

Tech Liberty co-founder Thomas Beagle has been at the centre of the debate, submitting on the GCSB Bill to the John Key-chaired Intelligence and Security Select Committee, and this week the Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Bill.

This is not just a a go-through-the-motions debate.

The government's failure to build majority support for the GCSB Bill means some degree of compromise - or even the legislation going back to the drawing board completely - is a live possibility.

Beagle - also a Council for Civil Liberties executive committee member - has been one of the most well-reasoned, informed critics of the surveillance legislation.

But his lobby group has also been involved in a raft of personal privacy and digital freedom issues, from ISPs installing the Department of Internal Affairs internet filter to police photographing number plates to the heavy-handed three-strikes file sharing law that holds a household head or business owner responsible for the actions of anyone who uses their internet account.

He fielded questions on Thursday July 11.

Scroll down to see his replies.