United Kingdom

Reports and Analysis

Report

Is your Local Authority Looking at your Facebook Likes?

When Local Authorities aren't your Friends

The UK Chief Surveillance Commissioners have repeatedly raised concerns about local authorities using the internet as a surveillance tool and suggested they conduct an internal audit of the use of social media sites.

Privacy International sent Freedom of Information requests to local authorities in the UK to dig deeper into what's going on.

Case Study

…it ensures we are all recognised as people

You should be legally protected in the same way everywhere like anyone else.

Long Read

A secret MI5 policy that enables crime in the UK with no accountability: How safe would you feel?

*Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash The British government needs to provide assurances that MI5’s secret policy does not authorise people to commit serious human rights violations or cover up of such crimes Privacy International, along Reprieve, the Committee on the Administration of Justice, and

News

8th January 2021

Victory at the High Court against the government’s use of 'general warrants’

7th December 2020

Privacy International takes its five-year battle against UK government’s hacking powers to the High Court

17th August 2020

Dear Home Secretary: Channel crossings are already inviable for asylum-seekers and human rights

20th March 2020

Extraordinary powers need extraordinary protections

15th January 2020

Advocate General’s Opinion: national security mass retention regimes are incompatible with EU Law

15th January 2020

Preliminary Statement: Advocate General's Opinion Advises that Mass Surveillance Regime is Unlawful

Examples of Abuse

Want to know how this translate in the real world? Here is the latest example in the news.

[UK] Gatwick immigration detention centre closed due to staff Covid cases

An immigration detention centre has been temporarily closed after several members of staff tested positive for coronavirus. The Home Office said Brook House, near Gatwick airport in West Sussex, has been shut for 10 days. It said a “very small number” of detainees had been moved to Colnbrook

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Our Advocacy

Privacy International’s response to the UK Parliament Joint Committee on Human Rights

In March 2019, Privacy International responded to a call for evidence for an inquiry by the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights into "The Right to Privacy (Article 8) and the Digital Revolution". Our suggestions included that, the human rights framework should support: Increasing

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