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February 23, 2011

Polish civil society stirs up debate on Internet freedom

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Polnische Zivilgesellschaft treibt Diskussion über die Freiheit des Internets voran | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.4_Debatte_zu_Internetfreiheit_in_Polen] The Polish chapter in the European debate on whether Internet blocking can be conceived as a measure in fighting the dissemination of child abuse images has finally been opened. This is due to the quite successful […]

February 23, 2011 · Blogs

France: Loppsi 2 adopted – Internet filtering without court order

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Frankreich: Loppsi 2 angenommen – Internet-Filter ohne richterliche Anordnung | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.4_Frankreich_Loppsi_2_angenommen] The French so-called Loppsi 2 draft law was adopted on 8 February 2011 by the National Assembly as well as by the Senate without modifications, thus allowing for the blocking of Internet access of a site deemed […]

February 23, 2011

Is the EU going to have a new common patent law?

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Einigt sich die Europäische Union auf ein gemeinsames Patent? | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.4_Einigt_sich_EU_auf_gemeinsames_Patent] Based on a recommendation of the Committee on Legal Affairs, the European Parliament approved on 15 February 2011 the use of the enhanced co-operation procedure to create a unitary patent system in the EU, following the request […]

February 23, 2011 · Blogs

European Privacy & Human Rights 2010

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Europäischer Datenschutz & Menschenrechte 2010 | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.4_European_Privacy_Human%20_Rights_2010] On Data Protection Day, 28 January 2011, Privacy International, the Center for Media and Communication Studies of the Central European University and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, released the European Privacy & Human Rights 2010 (EPHR) report. The survey reviews the […]

February 23, 2011 · Blogs

ENDitorial: Internet blocking – EP opts for leadership over populism

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [ENDitorial: Internetsperren – EP für Leadership statt Populismus | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.4_ENDitorial_Internetsperren] On 14 February 2011, the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament (EP) voted on the European Commission’s proposal on web blocking. The European Commission had proposed mandatory EU-wide blocking and limited safeguards. The approach is populist, simplistic […]

February 9, 2011 · Blogs

EDRi-gram – Number 9.3, 9 February 2011

February 9, 2011

Data retention law provisions declared unlawful in Cyprus

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Vorratsdatenspeicherung in Zypern für rechtswidrig erklärt | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.3_Zypriotische_Vorratsdatenspeicherung_rechtswidrig] The Cyprus Supreme Court decided on 1 February 2011 that some of the provisions of Law 183 (I) / 2007 on disclosure of telecommunications data are unlawful, as they breach the Cyprus Constitution and its jurisprudence, as revealed by the […]

February 9, 2011

Commission's proposal for PNR Directive fails to impress MEPs

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Kommissionsvorschlag zu Passagierdaten kann Europaabgeordnete nicht beeindrucken | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.3_Kommissionsvorschlag_zu_PNR_Richtlinie] On 2 February 2011, the European Commission released its proposal for a directive on the use of Passenger Name Records. This would require airlines flying into and out of the EU to give travellers’ personal information to national authorities […]

February 9, 2011

German study finds the data retention ineffective

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Deutsche Studie enthüllt: Vorratsdatenspeicherung ineffektiv | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.3_AK_Vorrat_Vorratsdatenspeicherung_ineffektiv] A study of police statistics published by the German Federal Crime Agency on 26 January 2011, finds telecommunications data retention ineffective for the prosecution of serious crime. An analysis of Federal Crime Agency statistics published on 27 January 2011 by German […]

February 9, 2011

UK Supreme Court to hear DNA cases

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Oberster Britischer Gerichtshof prüft DNS-Fälle | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.3_Britische_DNS_Rechtsfaelle] Following a decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the UK Coalition Government has recently stated its intention to dramatically reduce the retention period of DNA data. In 2008, the ECtHR ruled that a blanket policy of retaining DNA […]

February 9, 2011

Spanish sports streaming domain seized by US authorities without warning

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [US-Behörden entziehen spanischen Sportstreamingseiten die Domain | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.3_USA_beschlagnahmen_Domain_spanischer_Streamingseite] The US authorities have recently seized, without any warning, the domain names of several sports streaming sites over alleged copyright infringements within the “Operation In Our Sites” action launched at the beginning of July 2010, targeting websites having allegedly offered […]

February 9, 2011

France: Increased powers for Hadopi authority

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Frankreich: Hadopi erhält weitere Befugnisse | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.3_Hadopi_erhaelt_weitere_Befugnisse] The Hadopi law continues to develop as the French Government pushes last minute amendments to be passed by the Parliament. Thus, the French National Assembly adopted on 1 February 2011, late at night, an amendment filed at the last moment by […]