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The Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris has left many of us feeling less safe.

Such a brazen attack in broad daylight on an office with armed guards shows the lengths that extremists will go to instil fear and incite hatred in communities.

But we should not let oily politicians use this horrifying incident as a "news hook" for pushing through policy that gives intelligence agencies increased surveillance powers.

David Cameron is drawing on the rawness of the tragedy in France to garner support for some of the most draconian web spying powers in the world .

If the Tories get re-elected, Cameron wants to make sure that there is no form of communication that can't be intercepted by government intelligence agency GCHQ.

This applies not only to the 'communications data' (who called whom, when and from where) - covered off by the so-called 'Snooper's Charter' - but also the CONTENTS of those communications.

That means not only text messages and emails, but also your WhatsApp, Facebook messages, Snapchats , IMs - ANY form of digital communication. He's suggesting an end to the sorts of encrypted services that keep sensitive information safe from prying eyes.

David Cameron says he feels "very comfortable" that these powers are "absolutely right for a modern, liberal democracy".

Here's why he's WRONG.

The government already has incredible spying powers

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Intelligence agencies can already tap into transatlantic internet cables to monitor all of our emails and web searches - according to the shocking revelations made by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The same powers still exist, despite the fact that the EU has ruled the indiscriminate collection of personal data by security agencies to be illegal because they contravene our basic human rights.

Police can already access encrypted services - with a warrant

Cameron is concerned about the increasing use of encrypted services that governments can't spy on. But it's ALREADY illegal for people to refuse to give up passwords and encryption keys if police have a warrant.

There's no evidence that mass surveillance actually works

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France already has extensive surveillance powers, but that did not prevent the shooting in Paris. Furthermore, like with the Lee Rigby case , the police were already monitoring some of the perpetrators. And yet they STILL couldn't predict or prevent this attack.

Terrorism is notoriously difficult to deal with - particularly with 'lone wolf' style assaults.

Bulk data collection tools might feel like a safety blanket but they are no match for proper, targeted investigation.

Encryption keeps vulnerable people - and your money - safe

Whistleblowers, activists, journalists and dissidents need to use encrypted services to avoid detection by enemies and to ensure their safety. Weakening encryption makes those people - and everyone else - less safe.

Encryption is also what keeps your online bank details, passwords and other personal data safe on the internet - so clamping down on it isn't a great idea.

Increased spying powers damage freedom of expression

The Charlie Hebdo massacre has been described as an attack on freedom of expression - a fundamental human right. People have taken to the streets in their millions to defend this right.

And yet bulk surveillance is yet another assault on this freedom.

If you believe your government is spying on you, you may not feel able to speak freely online. It may lead to less trust in the internet overall - and this undermines its power as a tool for economic development.

Even if you don't mind, think about the activists and journalists - the people who hold the government to account - who get silenced by web snooping.

Spying proposals make the UK sound a lot like Iran and China

Only regimes like Iran, Bahrain and China have the sorts of powers being proposed - in some cases using spyware made by British companies. Are these the sorts of governments the UK wants to be affiliated with?

'Anti-terror' laws are always abused

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Laws created to prevent terrorist attacks are often misused by police.

One deeply worrying example is how the parents of Stephen Lawrence were put under surveillance during an inquiry into their son’s death. Some claims have been made that police tried to smear the Lawrence family in the wake of his death.

Another example is the police spying on the National Union of Journalists - all of whom had written about police misconduct in the past.

Money spent on mass surveillance tech would be better spent on more police

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More than £400 million was spent on the government’s 'Snooper’s Charter' before any personal data had been collected. There are costs associated with both intercepting, storing and analysing data on a large scale. That’s before any human has had time to review it.

In a time of massive stress on police resources, the focus should be on more targeted investigations instead of a trawler net approach.

The "I've got nothing to hide argument" is flawed

(Image: PA)

Our online activity is incredibly revealing - we leave behind a digital footprint of locations, friends, children, health problems, sexual preferences, extra-curricular activities and political views.

Even if nothing you do is illegal, have a think about whether any of your information could be used against you. Do you want your employer knowing about your political beliefs or sexual preferences? Your partner knowing about your full internet searches?

Most people do have something to hide from SOMEONE - even if it's small. Having all of that information collected and stored puts that data at risk.

Listen to the Germans for once!

You might live in a democratic country now, but who knows what will happen in the future?

Germany remembers what it's like to live under constant Stasi surveillance where seemingly innocent information such as your location could be used against you and your family.

Wolfgang Schmit, who used to head East Germany’s feared spy service said the NSA’s spy programme "would have been a dream come true".

Is that something to be proud of?