HOW despondent does it make one feel to find America stands accused of hiding software on the hard drives of computers around the world and that GCHQ is able to hack 80 million British smartphone sim cards?

One does wonder if this is “small beer” when it is apparent that 95 per cent of the operating systems in smartphones have been installed in countries in the Far East – China, Korea, Taiwan et al – despite being designed in the West.

Is there a possibility these operating systems could have a ‘doomsday’ piece of software hidden and incorporated within, which could allow them to be instantaneously used for some extremely nefarious deed? Just a thought.

BARRY BURTON, Fareham