‘Spies could target’ David Cameron's Angry Birds app

 
Top app: A remake of Angry Birds
28 January 2014
WEST END FINAL

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David Cameron was at the centre of an Angry Birds spying riddle today amid claims foreign intelligence agents can snoop on people through their playing of computer games.

Mr Cameron is said to play the game on his iPad. But latest documents allegedly leaked by Edward Snowden, a former agency worker at the US National Security Agency, suggest it may have the capability to glean information through computer games.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said: “I realise Angry Birds is a favourite of the Prime Minister but it would be a sorry state of affairs if his relaxation technique after a busy Cabinet meeting should result in anyone being able to spy on him.”

Downing Street sources played down any security threat, stressing that Mr Cameron’s communications equipment was heavily protected.

GCHQ, the government's listening post, and the US National Security Agency (NSA) are using smartphone applications to gather private details such as age, gender and location, as well as contacts and websites visited.

Some applications can even share sensitive information, such as sexual orientation, marital status and income, it was claimed.

The disclosure comes in the latest round of classified documents provided by whistleblower Snowden, published in the Guardian, the New York Times and ProPublica.

The reports suggest data is gleaned through mapping, gaming and social networking applications, using techniques similar to those used to intercept text message data and mobile internet traffic.

GCHQ told the newspaper its activities were proportional and complied with UK law.

A spokesman said: "It is a longstanding policy that we do not comment of intelligence matters. All of GCHQ's work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight."

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