It depends on how it is used Darwin. If it us done responsibly then it means the public is more aware of the consequences of political choices and abuses of trust by the people who we have elected. With the Blair and Brown governments we also saw the dark side of that potential, personality politics and the manipulation of the media in order to spin events their way.
As for the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act it is a good case in point. Originally spun as a tool against terrorism and organised crime we now see the abuses that tell the truth behind the lie.
Soon, if the communications database becomes a reality I can see sites such as this one coming under intense scrutiny just because people here have strong views against the government and its policies regardless of the fact that nothing that has been said on here is against the law.