content: the register is probably the best place to check for data law in the UK ; that clause has been invoked and a few people have been prosecuted for it  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/24/ripa_jfl/ http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/06/jail_password_ripa/ really it gives investigative powers to police forces but how far the government leans on then or other secret service departments to check things out is anybody's guess tangentially; there are a few approved white hat hacking programmes at UK universities now; wouldn't be too surprised if some of those graduates get picked up for government work