Privacy advocates make plea to Echelon committee
By Jane Wakefield
Thu, 22 Mar 2001 08:15:51 GMT
URL: http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/2001/11/ns-21744.html
Cyber-Rights lists objections to Echelon and European snooping plans
Privacy organisation Cyber-Rights and Cyber-Liberties has submitted its
objections to Internet surveillance ahead of a meeting in the European
Parliament today.
A European parliamentary committee is due to discuss the controversial
global surveillance system Echelon
(http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/specials/2000/06/echelon/) and the
involvement of European countries. The UK has always refused to comment
on allegations that it is involved with the surveillance network.
According to Cyber-Rights, the UK would be in serious breach of the
Treaty of the European Union if allegations of its involvement in Echelon
are found to be true. "Secret surveillance and interception of all forms
of communications including Internet communications, cannot be acceptable
in democratic societies," the submission reads. While Cyber Rights
welcomes the investigation into Echelon it also calls for accountability
in the global interception of communications.
The organisation is worried that European proposals for surveillance
against cyber criminals is at odds with the European Convention on Human
Rights and reminded the committee that the mission of the Council of
Europe, according to one of its own judges, is "to prevent the
establishment of systems that would allow 'Big Brother' to become master
of the citizen's private life".
It is also concerned that the Cyber Crime Convention is breaking privacy
rules. "We note a serious lack of commitment to data protection
principles within the draft Cyber Crime Convention," the submission
states.
Find out who's spying on you and how in our Echelon news special
(http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/specials/2000/06/echelon/).
Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Click on the
TalkBack
(http://forums.zdnet.co.uk/community/wwwthreads.cgi?forum=anchordesk#ZDNetNe
ws)
button and go to the ZDNet News forum.
Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom
([log in to unmask]). And read
(http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/mailroom.html) what others have said.
************************************************************************************
Distributed through Cyber-Society-Live [CSL]: CSL is a moderated discussion
list made up of people who are interested in the interdisciplinary academic
study of Cyber Society in all its manifestations.To join the list please visit:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/cyber-society-live.html
*************************************************************************************
|