It strikes me, before we even get to the economic, political, social and ethical issues, that it must be subject to legal challenge at the national and if necessary European level simply on grounds that it contravenes fundamental principles of data protection.

David.

David Murakami Wood
Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Surveillance Studies, Surveillance Studies Centre,
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology,
Cross-appointed in Department of Geography,
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario.

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On 2012-03-01, at 12:43 PM, Gemma Galdon Clavell wrote:

Dear all,

The Spanish police have just launched the 'Security Blue Network' (R@S in Spanish), an initiative to foster a 'true alliance' between public police forces and '1.500 companies working on private security, employing more than 100.000 professionals, and 600 security departments'. It will make use of the resources of private security agencies and strengthening intelligence so as to be more efficient and effective. The info coming from private agencies will be processed and integrated in police intelligence, and depending on their degree of collaboration, they will be 'paid' with public info they might be interested in.

Private companies will, of course, 'commit to making good use the information they receive' (!!!).

Among the info that will be shared, they mention: information on people under arrest, identified or being looked for, objects and vehicles that are suspicious, crime reports, background checks, 

Now, is it just me or this is UTTER ILLEGAL MADNESS??? Public security forces already have access to private security info (with a warrant), so this feels like a massive gift, and a massive misuse of personal and sensitive data...

Here's the press release: http://policia.es/prensa/20120227_2.html

Has anyone fought this battle before? Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Gemma

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