Privacy fear over plan to store
email
www.guardian.co.uk...
www.guardian.co.uk...
Full text at the hrefs above. Highlights:
* EU governments will next month decide a proposal to store ALL
traffic data for EU-ended comms for between one and two YEARS
* This traffic data would be available to all EU govts.
* Plan leaked to Statewatch
www.statewatch.org...
* Move initially explained as anti-"terrorism", now to be used
against all serious crime, including paedophilia and racism.
(quoting the Grauniad)
* Decision a victory for Britain and the US, against more liberal
EU regimes. EU-wide policy will be harmonized by this proposal
* EU admits plan an invasion of privacy but specifies retention
periods as minimum 12 months, maximum 24 months.
* Minimum list of offences:
"participation in a criminal organisation, terrorism, trafficking
in human beings, sexual exploitation of children", drug
trafficking, money laundering, fraud, racism, hijacking,
"computer-related" crime and "motor vehicle crime".
* "Confidentiality and integrity" of retained traddic data must
be "ensured", by methods unspecified.
* No individual right to check accuracy of data. No individual
right to challenge decisions on its use by EU authorities.
* Member states will not be able to refuse a request from another
Member state on the grounds of Human Rights or Privacy.
* No common EU list of crimes caught by the plan. No list of
agencies who would have access.
The only silver linings:
* EU plan suggests traffic data should only be accessible with
judicial oversight. This might mean we have to amend RIP.
Doubtless, Britain isn't gonna like this provision, irrespective
of any affect on existing statute.
* Elizabeth France (Information Commissioner, the title that used
to be the Data Protection Commissioner) has casted doubt on the
legality (under the HRA) of the ATCSA rushed thru Westminster
post 9/11.
bye bye,
privacy,
privacy bye bye..
I am off to live in a cave
[Edited on 20-8-2002 by phait]