New surveillance powers added last minute to the Data Bill could force banks to snoop on all of their customers on the grounds of dealing with fraud and error related to state benefits. Lenders are concerned about these powers being disproportionate and worried about facing backlash. Susannah Copson, legal and policy officer at Big Brother Watch warned that these new powers are “a regulatory nightmare for banks” and that “the scale of data they will have with these powers is quite considerable.”
Politico – Don’t turn us into social security cops, banks tell UK government