If they suspect you of some sort of crime or violation , they can request the information to back up their investigation . Could be anything child abuse , nuisance calling , sticking horse meat in the burgers . Who knows . Even worse is the talk of profiling visiting lots of websites about Islamic extremists , how to use weapons and how to snap a neck ? Police at your door . oh sorry Mr Clancy , we didn ' t realise you were writing your new book . The issue is that the information is being stored on everyone proactively , not just those under investigation for something . It ' s a disaster waiting to happen with leaks and breaches also corruption there ' s nothing illegal in my internet history , but it ' s still not something I want the world to see . Just like I wouldn ' t want someone opening my bank statements , or reading my Doctor ' s notes . No one needs to know I am secretly a broke crack addict . From your history , people could extrapolate all sorts of things about your medical history , political beliefs , what gets you off and what you think inside your own head . That ' s huge blackmail material , or worse a tool of control by some future state .