News and Analysis

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News & Analysis

UK Presidency of the EU proposes exporting British surveillance policies to Europe

The UK Presidency's first formal report, entitled 'Liberty and Security: Striking the Right Balance', was released today. It argues the case for new and expansive policies on communications surveillance, biometrics, travel surveillance, and CCTV. In fact, it promises to take UK policy failures to

News & Analysis

French report highly critical of new French ID Card project

The French government is considering the implementation of a new project, Project INES (Identite National Electronique Securisee), which will involve a system very similar to the one proposed in the UK. The French are even using similar statements, such as 'international obligations', 'terrorism'

News & Analysis

PI and EDRi urge restraint in extraordinary European Council meeting on retention

The below letter was addresses to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Viviane Reding (Commissioner for Information Society and Media) and Franco Frattini (Vice President and Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security). Your excellencies, On behalf of European Digital Rights and Privacy International

News & Analysis

UK introduces 'E-Borders' programme, proposing more surveillance and profiling of all

In a tipping of the hat to the Americans, the UK is set to establish the largest border surveillance programme to date. The new programme will involve the collection of biometrics on visitors to the UK, the generation of vast information stores on all Britons and visitors, and a profiling system to

News & Analysis

GAO reports that border registration of addresses unnecessary

The Government Accounting Office of the US government reports that creating a new system to keep track of the locations of aliens or visitors to the US is of 'questionable' value. This report, required by the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002, reflects the challenges faced by INS

News & Analysis

Europe proposes central fingerprint database of immigrants

In a move that mimics the U.S. fingerprinting policy under the VISIT programme, the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a regulation that would create a central database for all visa applicants fingerprints and photos. Regulation available on the Europa website. In a somewhat positive

News & Analysis

Open letter to the European Parliament on biometric registration of all EU citizens and residents

We the undersigned are calling on you to reject the 'Draft Council Regulation on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by Member States'. This is an unnecessary and rushed policy that will have hazardous effects on Europeans' right to privacy. This

Press release

Privacy International warns against Netherlands identity campaign

The London-based human rights watchdog Privacy International today attacked Justice Minister Donner's campaign on 'Wet op de uitgebreide identificatieplicht' as an "underhanded" attempt to convince innocent citizens to forego their legal rights. Last year the organisation advised that the identity

Press release

PI condemns Dutch ID proposals as unlawful and pointless

The London-based human rights watchdog Privacy International today warned that Justice Minister Donner's proposed 'Wet op de uitgebreide identificatieplicht' will violate the European Convention on Human Rights. The organisation has vowed to take legal action in the courts if the Parliament approves

News & Analysis

Open Letter To The European Parliament On Biometric Passports

For the attention of Members and staff of the European Parliament, I am writing to you on behalf of Privacy International, a London-based human rights group, to call on you to stop the implementation of biometric travel documents. We at PI have been monitoring the biometric passport developments for

News & Analysis

Our comments on the effects of US anti-terror laws in Canada

The Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia made a call for submissions on whether the USA PATRIOT Act could allow the U.S. authorities to gain access to Canadians' personal information, enabled through the outsourcing of Canadian public services to the United States. The Commission also called

News & Analysis

US census data on Arab-Americans given to Department of Homeland Security

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has obtained documents showing that the U.S. Census Bureau provided the Department of Homeland Security statistical data on people who identified themselves on the 2000 census as being of Arab ancestry. All relevant information is on the EPIC website. The

News & Analysis

Black people in England and Wales six times more likely to be stopped and search by police than white people

In a number of reports released today, the UK government acknowledged that there has been an increase in stop and searches in the past year. According to the Home Office Stop and Search Team's Strategy Report, "Stop and search is a police power which, if used fairly and effectively, can play an

Press release

PI files complaints in sixteen countries against Google Mail

The global watchdog Privacy International has today simultaneously filed complaints against Google's controversial Gmail service with privacy regulators in sixteen countries. The move creates Google's biggest challenge yet in the short but turbulent public debate over its new email service

News & Analysis

Open letter to UN Agency on dangers of biometric passport standard

To the participants of the International Civil Aviation Organization 12th Session of the Facilitation Division, We are writing to you on behalf of a wide range of human rights and civil liberties organizations to express our concerns regarding a number of decisions emerging from your conferences and

News & Analysis

Open letter to Members of the Eerste Kamer and Tweede Kamer regarding Dutch ID proposals

Privacy International is writing this Open Letter to Members of both Chambers of the Netherlands Parliament to express our deep concern over Justice Minister Donner's proposed 'Wet op de uitgebreide identificatieplicht'. We believe these requirements will violate the European Convention on Human