January 30, 2008

Key privacy concerns in France 2007

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) 6 January 2008 was the 30th anniversary of the French Data Protection Act. But no one really cared. The only French contribution to this 2nd European DP day has been the publication by the CNIL (French DP Authority) of a poll result that it commissioned in November […]

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June 18, 2008

UK MPs report: A Surveillance Society?

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) A report of the Home Affairs Committee shows concerns that Britain might be in danger of becoming a Big Brother type of state and calls on the UK ministers to take the necessary measures to provide safeguards and minimize the amount of the citizen’s information collected and […]

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July 2, 2008

German Protests in over 30 cities against surveillance

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) On 31 May 2008, privacy activists organized new rallies in more than 30 cities across Germany. Following the November 2007 protests under the motto “Freedom not Fear”(“Freiheit statt Angst”), thousands of citizens participated in this year street actions. Numerous demonstrations, rallies, information events, as well as workshops […]

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October 22, 2008

International Action Day "Freedom not Fear" – 11.10.2008

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The first worldwide protests against surveillance measures such as the collection of all telecommunications data, the surveillance of air travellers and the biometric registration of citizens were held on 11 October 2008 under the motto “Freedom not Fear – Stop the surveillance mania!”. In at least 15 […]

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October 22, 2008

Freedom not Fear Prague: Do It Yourself Carnival burst in the city center

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) On 11 October 2008 Prague hosted the DIY Carnival which marched through the city centre in the name of the worldwide initiative “Freedom not Fear”. Starting with a concert of several music groups on the river island Stvanice, more than 1000 people wearing masks outnumbered crowds of […]

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October 8, 2003

UK car-tracking plans

The UK police are coming to the end of their second phase trials on Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and preparing to roll out the technology nationwide next summer. ANPR tracks cars using the omnipresent CCTV systems and specialised fixed and mobile cameras. It can use government databases to detect untaxed, unroadworthy and uninsured vehicles. […]

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January 28, 2009

EU proposal puts confidential communications data at risk

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) Civil liberties groups La Quadrature du Net, European Digital Rights (EDRi), AK Vorrat, and Netzpolitik.org are urging the European Parliament to heed advice given by the European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx and scrap plans dubbed “voluntary data retention”. “A proposal currently discussed in the European Parliament […]

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January 28, 2009

Austria: Some EU data protection policy developments in 2008

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) In Austria the international data protection day on 28 January will pass by widely unrecognised. This year, as already in 2008, the Data Protection Commission (DSK; the Austrian Data Protection Authority) and the Data Protection Council (DSR; a political advisory board) will together organise a meeting for […]

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February 11, 2009

House of Lords Constitution Committee report on surveillance and privacy

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The report Surveillance: Citizens and the State recently issued by the House of Lords Constitution Committee supports privacy and considers executive and legal limits must be imposed to surveillance and data collection. The report is a positive step in the promotion of individual freedom and liberty and […]

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June 17, 2009

Stockholm programme – the new EU dangerous surveillance system

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Das Stockholmprogramm – das neue gefährliche Überwachungssystem der EU | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1431] Civil rights groups are worried about a new EU proposal that would enhance a “dangerously authoritarian” European surveillance and security system that will include ID card register, Internet surveillance systems, satellite surveillance, automated exit-entry border systems operated […]

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December 16, 2009

Italy: The Anopticon project – putting surveillance back in its place

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Italien: Das Anopticon Projekt – wie Überwachung in seine Schranken gewiesen wird| http://www.unwatched.org/node/1633] Nowadays, CCTVs are the practical implementation of the “Panopticon”, theorised in 1791 by Jeremy Bentham as the “ideal prison”, one that keeps people in place by using their natural fear of being surveilled. The Anopticon […]

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March 10, 2010

French Constitutional Court: No to police access to private space CCTV

This article is also available in: Deutsch: [Französisches Verfassungsgericht: Nein zu Polizeizugriff auf CCTV im privaten Bereich | http://www.unwatched.org/node/1759] On 25 February 2010, the French Constitutional Council gave its decision on the appeal made by a group of more than 60 senators and 60 deputies against the law reinforcing the fight against gang violence and […]

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