Privacy and surveillance
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e-Privacy: What happened and what happens next
With the vote on the mandate for trilogues in the European Parliament Plenary session of 26 October 2017, the European Parliament confirmed its strong position on e-Privacy for the following inter-institutional negotiations, also called trilogues.
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Italy extends data retention to six years
On 8 November 2017, the Italian Parliament approved a Regulation on data retention that allows telecommunication operators to save telephone and internet data for up to six years.
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Estonian eID article – additional information
Our article on the problems with the Estonian eID card attracted some criticism and non-specific allegations of inaccuracies. We recognise the sensitivities of the Estonian authorities on this issue, but stand behind the article. For the sake of completeness and to allow our analysis to be verified, here is the timescale that we describe in […]
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The Dutch continue to fight new mass surveillance law
On 4 November 2017, 20 000 households in the Netherlands received a letter from the Interior Security Service, Rijksveiligheidsdienst. The letter asked people to make an appointment to have a relay installed in their home. The letter stated that this installation was necessary because of the new Intelligence and Security Services Act, which gives the […]
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Estonian eID cryptography mess – 750000 cards compromised
In 2017, a flaw causing vulnerabilities in millions of encryption keys, including national Estonian electronic ID (eID) cards, was discovered. A month and a half after the discovery, the Estonian Police publicly announced the vulnerability, but stated that the eID cards “are completely secure”.
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High time: Policy makers increasingly embrace encryption
Encryption is of critical importance to our democracy and rule of law. Nevertheless, politicians frequently advocate for weakening this technology. Slowly but surely, however, policy makers seem to start embracing it.
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Who defends the victims of mass surveillance? Tech companies could
Two clocks are ticking for US tech companies in the power centers of the modern world. In Washington, lawmakers are working to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 before it expires on 31 December 2017. Section 702 is the main legal basis for US mass surveillance, including the programs and techniques that […]
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The European Commission struggles to find a position on encryption
On 18 October, the European Commission adopted some form of position on encryption, inexplicably embedded in its “anti-terrorism package”. Home affairs activity in relation to encryption is horizontal (covering all illegal activity) and not specifically related to terrorism. However, the Commission chose to include this topic in its anti-terrorism package. The decision to publish the […]
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Surveillance laws fall far short of fundamental rights standards
On 23 October, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) published the second volume of its study on surveillance and its impact on fundamental rights. This study comes following the request of the European Parliament (EP) for information on the consequences of surveillance for fundamental rights. The Agency notes that “the mere existence of […]
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Tell the European Parliament to stand up for e-Privacy!
On 26 October, the European Parliament (EP) will decide on a key proposal to protect your privacy and security online. This step consists in confirming (or not) the Parliament’s mandate to negotiate the e-Privacy Regulation with the Council of the European Union. This vote has been demanded as part of an effort to either water […]
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Tell the European Parliament to stand up for e-Privacy!
Stand up for e-Privacy!
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Last-ditch attack on e-Privacy Regulation in the European Parliament
The ECR, the right-wing, Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament has joined forces with German Conservatives, Axel Voss and Monika Hohlmeier, as well as the Danish Liberal Morten Løkkegaard to try to overturn progress made on the e-Privacy Regulation. The Regulation applies to confidentiality of communications, online and offline tracking and device security. It […]
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