Telecommunication data retention
Filter by...
-
UK DNA database shared with other countries
The UK Home Office has admitted that DNA stored in the UK National DNA Database has been shared with other countries. UK has today one of the largest law enforcement DNA database with profiles from 3.5 million people, including 500 000 children under 16 years old. The database was established in 1995. Privacy concerns regarding […]
Read more
-
German Constitutional Court has outlawed preventive data screening
On 22 May the German Constitutional Court has declared illegal under the German Constitution the practice of screening data across several private and public databases in order to find potential terrorists (“sleepers”). Several federal states will now have to change their police laws. The decision does not make data screening (“Rasterfahndung”, literally: “grid investigation”, usual […]
Read more
-
EU Parliament Members want more privacy in SIS II
The Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs at the European Parliament debated the draft Regulation on the establishment, operation and use of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II). There was a consensus among members of the committee that better privacy safeguards are needed for the SIS II, especially because it will […]
Read more
-
Passports with biometrics for Romanians
Starting with 1 January 2007, passports containing electronic chips will be put into circulation for the Romanian citizens. The passports will include a storage system (probably RFID) for personal data, including a facial image and digital fingerprints. The present passports will preserve their validity and they will be replaced at the request of the citizens. […]
Read more
-
European Data Protection Supervisor presents annual report
European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) 2005 annual report was presented on the 19 April . As stated by the report, following the first year of setting up the new independent authority on protecting personal data and privacy, 2005 was a year of consolidation confirming its main activities: supervision, consultation and cooperation. The authority increased its […]
Read more
-
EU pays for surveillance and control technologies
“Arming Big Brother”, a new report by Transnational Institute (TNI) and Statewatch, reveals the army industry lobbying has led to creating a new European security-industrial complex. According to this report, EU is preparing to spend to €1 billion per year on new “research” into surveillance and control technologies. Following the demands made in 2003 by […]
Read more
-
Article 29 asks for safeguards on data retention
Article 29 Data Protection Working Party has adopted its opinion on data retention directive as adopted by the Council on 21 February 2006, pointing out major criticism to the adoption and to the present text agreed by the Parliament. The Working Party recalls its previous concerns and reservations expressed in its last Opinion 113 of […]
Read more
-
US wants access to retained traffic data
Unites States has indicated in a recent meeting with the EU Council that it will be interested in accessing the traffic data collected by the European countries according with the recent Directive on Data Retention. Also the US officials expressed concerns over the draft Framework Decision on Data Protection. During the EU-US informal High Level […]
Read more
-
Changes in the Slovenian Intelligence Agency Act
The proposed changes of Slovenian Intelligence Agency Act (ZSOVA) raised questions about its unconstitutionality. The government would like to exclude the current 6-month limitation for use of special operative methods, e.g. mail monitoring, recording of telephone conversations etc. The Government invoked cooperation with EU and NATO in the fight against terrorism as the reason for […]
Read more
-
Lie detectors in Russian airports
Lie detectors will be used in Russian airports as part of the security measures starting with July 2006. Meant to identify terrorists or other types of criminals, a lie-detecting device developed in Israel, known as “truth verifier,” will be first introduced in Moscow’s Domodedovo airport as early as July. The technology, already used by UK […]
Read more
-
UK teachers are spied in classrooms
Teachers protest against the installation of 50 CCTV systems with microphones in UK schools, used as surveillance measures by the school management. While observation in class was supposed to help teachers in improving their performances, the headmasters, who have also used two-way mirrors to survey the teachers, grade them according to the way they perform […]
Read more
-
Slovenia : Draft Police Act endangers privacy
The draft of new Police Act has raised a lot of criticism in the last days from privacy activists and legal experts on its broad encroachment upon citizens’ right to privacy, granted by the Slovenian Constitution. Through the suggested act, the Slovenian government grants more power to the police, using terrorism, the Schengen treaty and […]
Read more