Blogs

February 26, 2003 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards

Criticism gone from EP report on safer internet plan

In a remarkable change of heart, rapporteur Bill Newton Dunn removed all criticism from his draft report on the Safer Internet Action Plan (EU Document Number COD/2002/0071). In stead of the original recommendation to discontinue the program because of its complete in-effectiveness, Mr. Newton Dunn (British Liberal) now pleads for an extension of the program. […]

February 26, 2003 · Blogs

EDRI-gram – Number 3, 26 February 2003

February 26, 2003 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards

Data-retention scandal in Ireland

Ireland has had a secret data retention regime for almost a year, after the Cabinet confidentially instructed telecommunications operators to store traffic information about every phone, fax and mobile call for at least three years. The Irish Data Protection Commissioner Joe Meade revealed this last monday at a forum on data retention. Telcos even used […]

February 26, 2003 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards

Dutch interception secrecy

The quantity of police interceptions of telecommunication in the Netherlands is higher than anywhere else in the world, according to the few available official statistics. Government however, tries to maintain secrecy about the exact numbers and the technical specifications of the equipment. Last week, a Freedom-of-Information request by EDRi-member Bits of Freedom for statistics covering […]

February 12, 2003 · Blogs

EDRI-gram – Number 2, 12 February 2003

February 12, 2003 · Blogs | Freedom of expression online

Internet censorship in Switzerland

In Switzerland, internet censorship is gaining ground. 2 recent events demonstrate this development. Last December, the examining magistrate of the canton Vaud issued a command to many Swiss internet service providers (ISPs), to block access to 3 websites. The websites, all hosted in the USA, contain strong criticism of a.o. the Swiss courts and are […]

February 12, 2003 · Blogs | Open internet and inclusive technology | Freedom of expression online

E-commerce directive transposition raises serious privacy and free speech concerns in France

France has started the process of implementing the European Directive on Electronic Commerce. The draft text of the Digital Economy Law (“Loi relative à l’économie numérique” or LEN in French) deals with ISP liability, electronic contracts and unsolicited commercial emails, cryptography, cybercrime, and satellite systems. Among them, the most controversial provisions are those concerning cryptography, […]

February 12, 2003 · Blogs | Open internet and inclusive technology | Freedom of expression online

EUCD implementation stalled in Finland

Last week, the Finnish parliament returned the national copyright law proposal back to the ministry that originally drafted it. Electronic Frontier Finland heavily criticized the anti-circumvention provisions and other controversial issues of the proposal. After a parliamentary hearing on the 31st of January, the chair of the hearing committee announced it was impossible to continue […]

February 12, 2003 · Blogs | Open internet and inclusive technology | Freedom of expression online

Finnish companies oppose law to censor internet

A coalition of Finnish telecom and media companies has joined the fight against proposed government legislation to make owners of message boards liable for all content, similar to print media. Additionally, Finnish government wants access to historical data to trace anonymous postings. The law therefore requires publishers and ISPs website to log practically all Internet […]

February 12, 2003 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Data protection standards

Microsoft Passport does not comply with European privacy rules

Microsoft has agreed to change its Passport authentication system, after the publication on 29 January of a very critical review by the united EU privacy commissioners. Besides the Microsoft .NET Passport system, the commissioners, united in the so-called Article 29 Working Party, also examined the Liberty Alliance Project. The review concludes with general guidelines for […]

February 12, 2003 · Blogs

EDRI-gram in Spanish

From now on, EDRI-gram will also be available in Spanish, usually 3 days after the English edition. Translations will be provided by David Casacuberta, secretary of the Spanish chapter of CPSR (Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility). To receive the Spanish EDRI-gram, please visit http://www.edri.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/edri-grama/ or subscribe by email: To: Subject: subscribe (Please note: this […]

January 29, 2003 · Blogs

EDRI-gram – Number 1, 29 January 2003