February 14, 2007

Belgium court backs decision against Google

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) In the case brought by Copiepresse, a trade group representing 17 Belgium newspapers, against Google for publishing links to newspaper articles without permission, the Brussels Tribunal upheld its previous decision and ruled that Google violated the copyright law. Google was ordered to remove Belgian newspaper content from […]

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November 4, 2009

Third PrivacyOS: More Privacy, Increased awareness

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Dritte PrivacyOS-Veranstaltung: Mehr Datenschutz, erhöhtes Bewusstsein | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1571] Continuing the privacy events after the huge success of the 11th Austrian Big Brother Awards that took place in the evening of 25 October 2009, the Third PrivacyOS Conference took place in Vienna on 26-27 October 2009, focusing on sharing […]

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August 27, 2008

UK government goes on with its plan for data retention

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) UK government intends to oblige ISPs and telephone companies to keep Internet personal data traffic for at least 12 months and local, health authorities and lots of other public bodies are to be given access to details of everyone’s personal Internet information. On 15 August 2008, the […]

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September 10, 2008

The telecom package debated by the European Parliament

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The European Parliament (EP) discussed on 2 September 2008 the draft directives to reform the EU framework on electronic communications (telecom package). Besides the debates on the telecom issues, the MEPs have discussed the role of the ISPs in combating Intellectual Property Rights violations and the modifications […]

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July 15, 2009

Irish Data Retention Bill published

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Irisches Vorratsdatenspeicherungsgesetz veröffentlicht| http://www.unwatched.org/node/1465] On 6 July, the Communications (Retention of Data) Bill 2009 was presented to the Irish Parliament. The Bill is intended to implement the Data Retention Directive and if enacted will establish a two year retention period for telephone data with a one year retention […]

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April 23, 2008

ENDitorial: Will France Introduce the Digital Guillotine in Europe?

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) Ever since DADVSI, the French implementation of the European Copyright Directive, Internet users in France have faced increasingly disproportionate threats of punishment for claims of copyright infringement. The latest scheme promoted by the content industry against unauthorized sharing of music and films on Internet is called “flexible […]

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June 21, 2006

Swedish torrent website Pirate Bay returns back home

At the end of May, the Swedish Police raided the location where the PirateBay.org website was located and shut down the site seizing several servers. However, after less than 1 month, the site, which is considered the world’s biggest BitTorrent tracker being visited by 10 million to 15 million daily users, resumes its activity from […]

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June 20, 2007

PCDA brings a major change in the WIPO mandate

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) During 11-15 June 2007, the Provisional Committee on Proposals for a WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Development Agenda (PCDA) had meetings during which WIPO members negotiated agreements on several proposals for new activities of the UN organization. “This is a major achievement. It’s a complete overhaul of […]

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January 26, 2011

European Commission concerned over illegal eavesdropping in Bulgaria

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Europäische Kommission besorgt über illegale Abhöraktionen in Bulgarien | http://www.unwatched.org/node/2552] Based on a request for access to public information, Dnevnik daily newspaper has been able to access and publish information showing that a third of the wiretaps in Bulgaria have no proper legal coverage, being performed without an […]

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July 19, 2006

UK ID card scheme heading to failure

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) Reports by The Sunday Times newspaper revealed an apparent failure of the UK plans for ID cards resulting from an exchange of emails between David Foord, the ID card project director at the Office of Government Commerce, and Peter Smith, the acting commercial director of the Identity […]

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July 30, 2008

France pushes for ISPs' involvement in fighting illegal file sharing

Christine Albanel, the French Minister of Culture and Communication, has gathered her European homologues for an informal meeting in Versailles on 21 and 22 July 2008 in an attempt to push the French Hadopi law model to be embraced by Europe. Some of the main issues approached during the meeting were piracy, telecommunications reform, the […]

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October 24, 2007

Update on DNA and biometrics in French immigration law

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) With its final vote on 23 October 2007, the French Parliament confirmed the introduction of DNA testing in the new immigration law to prove family links for foreign candidates applying for a more than 3 months visa on family regrouping grounds. The only recourse could now be […]

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