October 8, 2008

The European Parliament voted the Telecoms Package

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) The Package of rules governing the Internet and telecoms sectors proposed by the European Commission in view of supporting competition and providing clearer information and a wider range of services to consumers was approved by the European Parliament on 24 September 2008, in the first reading. The […]

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February 11, 2013 · Blogs

Lobby groups take CTRL+V of data protection proposal

From Wired to the New York Times, every news platform has been reporting about the massive lobbying efforts against the data protection reform over the past few months. Vice-President of the EU Commission Viviane Reding has stated in the Telegraph that the proposed rules were subject to the most aggressive lobbying she has ever witnessed. […]

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August 4, 2004

Swiss protest against new personal identification number

The Swiss data protection authorities and several political parties have used a governmental consultation round to protest against a proposal to introduce a new sectoral ID number for persons, the SPIN law. According to the privacy authorities, the proposed law violates both constitutional and data protection principles. The new personal identification number would be sectoral […]

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March 1, 2023 · Blogs | Privacy and data protection | Alternatives to dominant digital services | Inclusive technologies | Online tracking industry / AdTech

Czech online state services without Google Analytics: thanks to IuRe

The Czech organisation Iuridicum Remedium (IuRe) sent an open letter to the Ministry of Health in June 2021. It was mainly about the vaccination system, but its impact is much bigger: many state websites are getting rid of Google Analytics and thus taking more account of user privacy.

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October 5, 2005

NL: 50.000 ID fines in 9 months

Since the introduction of compulsory identification in the Netherlands on January 1st 2005, the police have fined 50.000 people that could or would not present a valid ID. Almost 4.000 of those who were fined were children aged 14 and 15. The statistics are provided by the Central Judicial Collection office. About 25% of the […]

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October 8, 2008

The European Union wants to introduce virtual body screening in airports

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) A draft European Commission regulation has in view the introduction of millimetre wave imaging scanners in airports to be used “individually or in combination, as a primary or secondary means and under defined conditions”. The scanner will provide a “virtual strip search” of travellers within the EU. […]

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March 9, 2011

Final call for petition on government use of citizens' biometrics

This article is also available in: Macedonian: [Последен повик за петиција за владина.. | http://www.metamorphosis.org.mk/mk/vesti/edri/1894-posleden-povik-za-peticija-za-vladinata-upotreba-na-biometriski-podatoci-na-gragjanite] Deutsch: [Petition gegen die Nutzung biometrischer Daten durch den Staat | http://www.unwatched.org/EDRigram_9.5_Petition_gegen_Nutzung_biometrischer_Daten] By means of a petition, the international Alliance ‘Hands off biometrics’ will urge the Council of Europe to start an investigation on the collection and storage of biometric […]

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February 13, 2013 · Blogs

Most Internet users would use DNT settings if easily available

According to a survey by IT service analysts Ovum, 68% of the Internet users would use “do-not-track” (DNT) settings to restrict the use of their personal data, if such a tool was “easily available”. Websites and third-parties, such as advertisers, may record Internet users’ behaviour in order to serve targeted, personalised ads. Such user-specific data […]

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August 25, 2004

New US demands on European postal services

According to a publication in the Austrian e-zine Futurezone the USA have demanded extensive advance information from European postal services about packages before they are being shipped to the United States. The US border control system US-VISIT is already being fed with data about airline passengers before they enter the territory, but must now be […]

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September 26, 2007

Recommanded Reading

Data Protection Framework Decision: EDPS concerned about dilution of Data Protection standards http://edps.europa.eu/EDPSWEB/webdav/site/mySite/shared/Documents/EDPS/PressNews/Press/2007/EDPS-2007-10-EN_DPFD.pdf Nuffield Council on Bioethics : The forensic use of bioinformation: ethical issues. This Report considers whether current police powers in the UK to take and retain bioinformation are justified by the need to fight crime. Executive Summary http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/fileLibrary/pdf/The_forensic_use_of_bioinformation_-_Executive_Summary.pdf Full Report http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/fileLibrary/pdf/The_forensic_use_of_bioinformation_-_ethical_issues.pdf

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October 8, 2008

Social Networks – on the European Commission's Agenda

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar) Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media, gave her first public speech on social networks at the Safer Internet Forum on 26 September 2008, which confirms the interest of the EU bodies on this topic. The commissioner emphasized the growth of the social networks in Europe: […]

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February 13, 2013 · Blogs

US privacy groups believe US officials lobby to weaken EU privacy

A coalition of 18 US privacy groups sent a letter on 30 January 2013 to US politicians such as the Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of State John Kerry and the Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank, asking for assurances that US policy makers in Europe “advance the aim of privacy” and do not hinder […]

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