What's the point?

[Hazell B]

Why are the UK government spending twenty five million quid a year (if that's the correct figure?) saving all email information as of today?

I'm no internet genuis, but surely if I were planning a bank job, terrorist bombing or child porn investment, I'd simply not use key words to talk openly about it in mail anyhow? Plus of course those with only a bit more knowledge than me can easily lay false email trails to hide themselves.

I just cannot see the point, unless it's a back way to being able to read contents in future years for marketing reasons? :confused:

[Drew]

I assumed that they already did it, however they won't save the content of them.

If they find out Osama Bin Laden's email address and find out your next door neighbour has been emailing him, they can investigate your neighbour and then arrest him as a terrorist :p :

[Hazell B]

But wouldn't they already have my neighbour's address from Osama's computer? ;)

After all, nobody would know if it's his real address or not without his fingerprints or similar on the computer .....

Seriously, I can't work out why bother.