Tweets take swing at Canadian Internet surveillance bill

A Canadian politician who sponsored an Internet surveillance bill received a harsh lesson in retaliation today when an anonymous Twitter account began spilling details of his messy personal life. 

Vic Toews, Canada’s public safety minister, introduced the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act on Tuesday, touching off a chorus of criticism from opponents who suggested it would turn Canada into a Big Brother state.

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Within hours, an anonymous Twitter account under the name @vikileaks30 sprouted, and began tweeting details from affidavits of Toews’ divorce.

“Vic wants to know about you,” the account’s description reads. “Let’s get to know about Vic.”

The account had almost 3,000 followers by the end of business today. Toews tried to ignore the firestorm, the Globe and Mail reported.

“I won’t get involved in this kind of gutter politics. Engaging in or responding to this kind of discussion leads nowhere,” he said.

Attention around Bill C-30 gained steam on Monday, when Toews accused an opposition party member of siding with criminals for speaking against the legislation.

Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia “can either stand with us or with the child pornographers,” Toews said in Parliament, CBC reported.

The bill gives police the right to demand personal data from Internet users without a warrant. It also forces Internet service providers to install infrastructure to monitor a user’s digital footprint.

Critics say police can already access that information thanks to ad hoc agreements with ISPs.

“The government has declared open season on average Canadians and the minister needs to come clean with Canadians on why he wants to snoop and spy on them,” New Democrat MP Charlie Angus said, according to the Globe.

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