Graham Parrott

NEXT month sees the start of the ninth series of Channel 4’s flagship TV reality show, but is Big Brother a shadowy figure behind the scenes of a TV programme, taking its only audible form in a broad Geordie accent, or is it actually Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs service in the UK?

Recent events would suggest that could be so. For some time, conspiracy theories have surrounded the taking of our picture as we go through security at Gatwick Airport. Is it really a security measure, or a way of finding out time spent in the UK? In reality probably not, but recent changes to the UK day-counting rules have certainly brought the issue more into focus.

We have been warned via various media outlets for some time about the consequences of sharing too much information on social websites. Identity fraud is again one issue, but it has also now been claimed that this could be a useful new source of information in HMRC’s fight against tax abuse. Be careful what you put on Facebook.