22 MAY 1971, Page 29

Invasion of privacy

I hope my friend Mr Dyerson, Managing Director of the New Statesman, wasn't watching that excellent Bad programme on Sunday night Invasion of Privacy offering spy-and-pry evidence on how computers are breaking into our lives. It may have been some subliminal effect or a warm after din- ner glow but I am sure one of the computers spluttered . . . NEW STATESMAN CANCELLED . . . SPECTATOR TO REPLACE.

Computers are of course well known as creatures of the right and seldom wrong. The BBC would be well advised to repeat this far- seeing programme with its message for the future.