The European Commission is demanding answers from the UK government about data protection
Europe gets tough on UK data protection
/v3-uk/news/1990268/europe-tough-uk-protection
29 Oct 2009, Dave Neal , V3
The European Commission (EC) is stepping up its campaign to ensure that the privacy and data protection rights of UK citizens are fully preserved, and has warned the UK government to get its house in order.
The EC has moved to the second stage of an infringement proceeding against the UK that has questioned whether its citizens have the protection of European rules on privacy and data protection when using electronic communications and media.
Because this has not been the case so far, the EC plans to send the UK government what it describes as a "reasoned opinion". Much of the campaign activity is thought to surround the recent BT/Phorm controversy.
"People's privacy and the integrity of their personal data in the digital world is not only an important matter, it is a fundamental right protected by European law. That is why the EC is vigilant in ensuring that European Union rules and rights are put in place," said Viviane Reding, European commissioner for information society and media.
"Ensuring digital privacy is a key for building trust in the internet. I therefore call on the UK authorities to change their national laws to ensure that British citizens fully benefit from the safeguards set out in EU law concerning confidentiality of electronic communications."
The EC has identified three ways in which the UK might be failing its citizens: the absence of an independent national authority that supervises the interception of communications; a Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act that does not comply with its own rules; and the absence of sufficiently tight laws to ensure sanctions against parties guilty of any unlawful interception of information.
The UK has two months to reply to the second-stage infringement proceeding. If the EC receives no reply, or if the response is not satisfactory, it may refer the case to the European Court of Justice.
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Do you agree?
infringement of privacey
It's sacraledge when local council sell your data i.e personal info i.e telephone numbers and address details + names to survey and market research companies if you don't tick the council voting registry to ban this.also if you are exdirectory with your telephone supplier,companies still have access to your personal number as this is totally out of order there is nothing worse being pestered by these people, sometimes they answer or say nothing which is nusiance,the ones that say nothing when you answer is to blow a whistle as hard as you can then they answer big time.Time something was done why should they infringe our privacey.
Posted by Michael D Scullard, 30 Oct 2009
This over-surveillance is ALSO a threat to Business
This over-surveillance is ALSO a threat to Business
As I have said before, it is most likely that large International Companies, are becoming increasingly aware that all of their Business Transmissions through the UK are at risk, and important contracts may well be in jeopardy due to interception.
There is also the fact that ?UK?s Big Brother? may find he has an even ?Bigger Brother? watching him. This surveillance and Data Collection Technology may already be being used by Counter Intelligence Services from other counties.
As already disclosed many times via the media, the Data the Government does have is very loosely guarded. Laptops left in public places, CD discs, DVD Discs, and Pen Drives left in public places.
To cap it all they still want to store more of our private and personal data.
British National Security is becoming a bad joke at our expense.
Carl Barron, Chairman of agpcuk
Posted by Carl Barron, 31 Oct 2009