French fight police database plans

While UK looks set to go ahead with its own database plans

19 September 2008 12:19 GMT / By Katie Scott

The UK government is coming under fire from all sides over its plans to create a massive database of details of all of our phone calls, internet activity and emails.

Meanwhile, over the Channel, the French government has had to scrap plans that would have seen its police force given powers to keep private information on people in the public eye.

While the UK plans will affect all citizens, the French police would have only kept details of religious leaders, politicians and unionists - but even this has caused a public outcry.

The Edvige electronic database is still going to be created but will now only include information on people the police, and French government, have deemed a security threat.

However, this can be on citizens as young as 13-years-old.

Opponents to the database are still calling for the plans to be changed so that minors cannot be included and are planning a day of protests on 16 October, which is Saint Edwige's day in the Roman Catholic calendar.