Category Archives: data retention

A progressive digital policy?

Posted on August 28, 2012 by

Yesterday I read a call for submissions to Labour Left’s ‘Red Book II’, by Dr Éoin Clarke – to develop a way forward for the Labour Party. It started me thinking about what would really constitute a progressive digital policy – … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, Defamation, Digital Economy Act, Freedom of expression, government, Internet access, surveillance | 17 Comments

Snoopers’ Charter Consultation

Posted on August 13, 2012 by

The draft Communications Data Bill – the ‘Snoopers’ Charter’ – is currently up for consultation before a specially put together Joint Parliamentary Committee. The consultation period has been relatively short – it ends on 23rd August – and at a … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, surveillance, tracking | 7 Comments

The myth of technological ‘solutions’

Posted on July 6, 2012 by

A story on the BBC webpages caught my eye this morning: ‘the parcel conundrum‘. It described a scenario that must be familiar to almost everyone in the UK: you order something on the internet and then the delivery people mess … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, Identity, Parenting, Privacy, surveillance | 8 Comments

The snoopers charter

Posted on June 26, 2012 by

I have just made a ‘short submission’ to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) regarding the Draft Communications Data Bill – I’ve reproduced the contents below. I have reformatted it in order to make it more readable here, but … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, Freedom of expression, Internet, Privacy, surveillance | 10 Comments

Labour and the ‘Snoopers’ Charter’…

Posted on June 19, 2012 by

The draft Communications Data Bill – dubbed, pretty accurately in my view, as the ‘Snoopers’ charter’ – has already been the subject of a great deal of scrutiny. I’ve blogged about it a number of times, as have many others … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, Internet, Privacy, surveillance | 2 Comments

A police state?

Posted on June 15, 2012 by

Yesterday saw the release of the details of the Draft Communications Bill - and, despite the significant competing interest in David Cameron’s appearance at the Leveson Inquiry, its arrival was greeted with a lot of attention and reaction, both positive and … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, Privacy, surveillance | 16 Comments

A wake up call?

Posted on May 7, 2012 by

A couple of years ago I was teaching a class in IT law, and the subject of surveillance came up. I tried not to let my own opinions colour the debate, and listened while one student after another talked quite happily … Continue reading →

Posted in CCTV, data retention, Human Rights, Internet, Privacy, surveillance | 15 Comments

Scrambling for safety?

Posted on April 19, 2012 by

This afternoon I was at ‘Scrambling for Safety’ – a fascinating conference, focussing on the proposed ‘Communications Capabilities Development Programme’, aptly if not entirely accurately dubbed the ‘snoopers’ charter’ by the media. The conference was organised by Privacy International, the … Continue reading →

Posted in data protection, data retention, government, Privacy, Privacy International, surveillance | 9 Comments

The politics of privacy

Posted on April 13, 2012 by

Why is it that despite what looks like very strong public hostility, together with a powerful media opposition, the proposed UK government surveillance programme, the Communications Capabilities Development Programme (a description of which can be found on the Open Rights Group … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, government, Human Rights, Internet, Nick Clegg, Privacy, Privacy International, surveillance, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

If you build it, they will come…

Posted on April 4, 2012 by

The proposed new surveillance programme – the Communications Capabilities Development Programme - in the UK has many disturbing aspects – from the whole idea that ‘security’ justifies almost any infringement of privacy to the re-emergence of the fundamentally flawed ‘if you’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in data retention, Human Rights, Internet, Vulnerability | 5 Comments