A Global Push to Protect Information Online “As indispensible as e-mail and the Internet have become at work, companies face rising threats from the exposure of confidential business data or consumer data over the Internet.” Continue Reading
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Category Archives: EU Data Protection
Passenger Data Collection Pact Signed Between EU and US
See the DHS press release, and the Fact Sheet: US-EU Passenger Name Record Agreement Signed. The transfer of data includes passenger email addresses, phone numbers and credit card information. Continue Reading
Privacy Group Issues Report Critical of EU Passenger Data Agreement With US
From Privacy International: “On May 17, 2004 the European Commission approved an agreement to transfer passenger details to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an agreement established in the name of, but that has little to do with, the war on terror.” Privacy International has published this report, Transferring Privacy and Inadequate Adequacy, documenting what… Continue Reading
Proposed EU Data Retention Laws
From the French Republic, Ireland, the Kingdom of Sweden and the United Kingdom, date of receipt, 28 April 2004: “Draft Framework Decision on the retention of data processed and stored in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic communications services or data on public communications networks for the purpose of prevention investigation detection and… Continue Reading
EU Challenges US on Air Passenger Data
MEPs take on EU and US over air data deal: “The European Parliament has by 16 votes, 276 in favour, 260 against, agreed to take a privacy rights battle over handovers of air passenger data to US security agencies to the EU courts.” Continue Reading
Heightened Focus on Gmail by Privacy Advocates
From the World Privacy forum, this press release and letter (pdf) on behalf of a coalition of over two dozen privacy and advocacy groups, addressing Google’s new webmail service, Gmail, specific to the retention and repurposing of user data for e-commerce and law enforcement applications. Screenshots of Gmail from a beta tester, here and here. Continue Reading
EU Continues to Contest Transfer of Passenger Data
From Statewatch, April 1: “The European Parliament has passed a Resolution rejecting the draft Directive on “the obligation of carriers to communicate passenger data” and calling for it to be withdrawn. The Directive was put forward by the Spanish government last year and was radically altered by the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 30… Continue Reading
Compromise Reached on EU Data Protection Laws
“Parliament adopted by 439 votes in favour, 39 against and 28 abstentions an own-initiative report on the 1995 Data Protection Directive. The House states firmly that transfers of personal data to third country authorities without consent, such as in the case of the US authorities accessing transatlantic passenger data, seriously infringes EU data protection standards.… Continue Reading
Report on Proliferation of Video Surveillance in EU
The EU’s Article 29 Working Party on data protection has produced a report on “Video Surveillance”. The report sets out guidelines under the 1995 Directive on data protection in relation to surveillance by video cameras in public and work places. [Statewatch News Online] The report states that: “The over-proliferation of image acquisition systems in public… Continue Reading
EU Reaches Determination on Passenger Name Record Data Collection
Quoting from the 16th December 2003 speech by Frits Bolkestein, Member of the European Commission in charge of the Internal Market, Taxation and Customs concering EU Data Protection: “Firstly, clear limits on the amount of data to be transferred with a closed list of 34 elements. Furthermore, the US has undertaken not to require airlines… Continue Reading
EU Demands Compliance on E-Privacy Directive
With the expiration of an October 31 deadline for implementing the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications, the European Commission indicated that legal action against nine member states may be necessary to ensure their compliance. The directive addresses e-privacy issues that include spam, the use of cookies, and the protection of customer data by ISPs. Continue Reading
Compliance With New EU Data Privacy Rules Begins Today
“As from today EU Member States must comply with the Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications, which sets EU standards for the protection of privacy and personal data in electronic communications. The Directive includes basic obligations to ensure the security and confidentiality of communications over EU electronic networks, including internet and mobile services. It sets… Continue Reading
