Opinion

MI6 chief: We need the Snooper's Charter to combat 'existential threat' of the internet

In a rare public-facing speech, the chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), better known as MI6, has spoken in favour of the UK's new surveillance legislation, the Investigatory Powers Bill (IPBill) – often referred to by critics as the "Snooper's Charter."

Speaking to media in the MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross on 8 December, the British spymaster Alex Younger, codenamed 'C', spoke candidly about the impact internet and big data has had on traditional intelligence gathering. He said the web had turned his business "on its head".

"They represent an existential threat combined with a golden opportunity," he said while describing the complex nature of modern spycraft. Younger said the level of threat faced is "unprecedented", evidenced by the fact UK intelligence has foiled a dozen terror plots since June 2013.