CLOSE CALL: European Union finally rejects horrific mass surveillance legislation

[1984hasarrived]

Well this is a step in the right direction, i hope.  Privacy issues need to be taken much more seriously and government measures put in place to ensure personal privacy.

The British government’s mass surveillance powers have been severely undermined by The European Union’s top court. The new ruling could constrain police and spy agency investigations. The judgement was handed down last month, in Luxembourg, where the European Court of Justice declared that general and indiscriminate data retention regarding people’s communications and whereabouts is inconsistent with privacy rights. The court stated that bulk storage of private data is highly invasive and exceeds the limits of necessity, therefore it can’t be justified within a democratic society.



The ruling is a victory for civil liberties advocates, but a major blow against mass surveillance. Retention of our digital histories is a very intrusive form of surveillance which needs safeguarding. The 15 judges on the European court’s panel acknowledged that modern investigative techniques were necessary to fight against organized crime and terrorism efforts, but couldn’t justify general and indiscriminate retention of all traffic and location data.

It is still acceptable, however, for governments to perform targeted data retention. This pertains to cases involving serious crimes, but access to that data must be overseen by a judicial authority or independent administrative authority. Those who were targeted by surveillance will be notified upon completion of the investigation.

In December, 2014, two British members of parliament originated the case by challenging the legality of the UK government’s Data Retention, where telecommunications companies were forced to store their customers’ communication records for one year. The law was replaced with the Investigatory Powers Act, which was approved by British parliament.

Since the UK recently voted to leave the European Union, Wednesday’s significant ruling will likely be a headache for British government officials. The ruling will be forwarded to the UK’s Court of Appeal, so judges can determine how it will be applied in context with the national law. This might force the government to make changes to controversial sections of the Investigatory Powers Act, which gives police and spy agencies an abundance of access to civilian data.

This will mark the UK government’s first serious post-Brexit test to their commitment for protecting human rights and the rule of law. The people of the UK have voted to leave the EU, but not to give up their rights and freedoms. The government must now make significant changes to the Investigatory Powers Act in order to comply with the people’s personal privacy rights.

In a statement from the British government’s Home Office, a spokesperson said that “We are disappointed with the judgment from the European court of justice and will be considering its potential implications. The government will be putting forward robust arguments to the court of appeal about the strength of our existing regime for communications data retention and access.”

The UK’s appeal of the decision is likely be dragged out for a long time. If the appeal can outlast the completion of the Brexit process, the ruling will no longer matter. This should raise questions concerning politicians who are granting the government powers to inappropriately spy on citizens.

CLOSE CALL: European Union finally rejects horrific mass surveillance legislation

[BIAD]

In my view and only from what I've read, it seems that the UK surveillance agencies
may have had a two-fold agenda that involved 'snooping' and money-saving wishes.

The National Police forces around Great Britain have been severely cut back over the
last few years and instead of focusing on manpower and having 'Bobbies on the beat'
or patrolling policemen/women staying with the traditional way of monitoring areas,
they'e reached out to technology and have also urged the public to also be their eyes
and ears.

Most western societies now embrace the internet and cellular telephones and our average
perception of communication is to use these conduits in good faith.
We tend to think that because it's easier, it's better.

I suppose it is, but it means in it's most simplest sense we talk to strangers on the internet
and in our natural setting, we believe that we're communicating one-to-one or in a group we
accept have the same values as ourselves.

With mobile phones, it's similar. Our voices are cast across the air and we have this view of
'Big World' anonymity because of the false fact that we believe we're talking to someone 'in'
the phone... someone so nearby that we can hear their voice!
Perception.

Maybe the more-rational minds will quote market-forces at work to have such devices available
at low costs. Cellular phones are often free in the UK as long as you accept the tariff payments
and internet-access usually is connected to one's television providers.

Personally, I think there's more to it than that. For a small outlay, a person has a machine that
can give their location to a system, it can relay private communication, likes and dislikes, political
sway and personal data of all manner of subjects.

Due to this global perception, I believe The Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, MI6 and
other shadowy outfits, wanted to dig deeper into what we believe and how we come to believe
it.
To know how your 'enemy' formulates their world-view perception is to possibly give you a head
-start on how to stop them.
.....................................

But I also think this technology-worship is a 'disease' that such agencies have also acquired.

I accept that a better spear than your enemy may give you a better position in warfare, but
if the hunted is a human-being, then surely the trust should be placed in the human-being
that throws that spear, not the sharpness of the tip.
(I'm waffling!)

[1984hasarrived]

Very good waffle indeed.  

 I think that Europe and UK as well are really going through some major changes and that the powers that be are struggling to understand what implications the technology is bringing. 

My  opinion of this terrorism is that it seems it's very hard to find someone so small and the authorities are trying to find ways to locate and track these people using the technology available. Not sure why but still phones are not able to track them and obviously that it is possible to buy disposable throw away SIMs, which are almost impossible to trace.

The real police are not on the street as much, and as BIAD says, technology is a poor replacement, as the baddies are just as tech savvy as the cops now, in some cases they are ahead.

[Daitengu]

Have I got a deal for you lot if you actually believe that bullshit ......