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Deutsch: Britische ISPs geben Phorm auf
On 6 July 2009, just before the beginning of the investigation on Internet privacy by UK MPs and peers of the All Party Parliamentary Communications Group, the largest UK ISP British Telecom (BT) has announced it would not roll out Phorm's web monitoring and profiling system, Webwise, in its network.
Right after BT made this announcement, claiming that for the next three years it needed to focus on network upgrades, other two large ISPs in UK,Virgin Media and TalkTalk, declared they would not launch the system in the near future either. The three ISPs signed an agreement with Phorm in February 2008 but the system was fiercely criticized both by privacy campaigners and regulators.
This decision comes after EU's action to sue the UK government for failing to properly implement European privacy laws as a result of the discovery of the secret trials of Phorm performed by BT.
"We continue to believe the interest based advertising category offers major benefits for consumers and publishers alike. However, given our public commitment to developing next generation broadband and television services in the UK, we have decided to weigh up the balance of resources devoted to other opportunities. Given these resource commitments, we don't have immediate plans to deploy Webwise today. However, the interest based advertising market is extremely dynamic and we intend to monitor Phorm's progress with other ISPs and with Webwise Discover" (a new Phorm sideline in content technology) "before finalising our plans," was BT public statement.
BT's decision triggered similar decisions by the other two large ISPs who would have not been able to stand by Phorm on their own. "We continue to believe interest-based advertising has potentially important benefits for consumers, internet service providers and website owners. However, given the fast moving nature of the sector, Virgin Media intends to extend its review of potential opportunities with suppliers, including Phorm, prior to making any commitment to launch any of these technologies. We recognise some consumers have significant concerns about the potential implications of interest-based advertising for their privacy. Virgin Media is committed to ensuring that any future deployment complies not only with the relevant legal requirements but - as an absolute minimum - the best practice guidelines contained in the Internet Advertising Bureau's recently published code of practice," stated Virgin Media.
During the all-party parliamentary group on communications on 6 July, Peter John, who runs the Dephormation campaigning website, told MPs that Phorm's technology was "mass industrial espionage - the only beneficiaries from this system are the media companies".
Sarah Simon, Phorm's financial, strategic and policy development officer, stated to the meeting that the company's technology not only was in agreement with the UK's data protection laws but actually exceeded them. The system would give consumers a clear opt out choice which many other online advertising platforms do not.
The UK EDRi-member Open Rights Group welcomed BT's decision as a "victory for privacy" and commented: "Phorm will remain a threat to our fundamental rights while they offer services that intercept communications without the consent of all parties."
Although the Phorm shares have dropped severly after the BT announcement, the company declared the indefinite delay of the launch of its service in the UK was not a such a serious blow as discussions are in progress with other potential partners in 15 other countries and, for instance, it has already made a deal with South Korea's largest ISP.
BT abandons Phorm (6.07.2009)
http://www.out-law.com//default.aspx?page=10146
BT's decision to ditch Phorm is a victory for privacy (6.07.2009)
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2009/07/bts-decision-to-ditch-phorm-is-...
Phorm dealt major blow as TalkTalk drops Webwise (7.07.2009)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/07/carphone-warehouse-talk...
EDRI-gram: Infringement procedure against UK for lack of privacy protection
(22.04.2009)
http://www.edri.org/edri-gram/number7.8/phorm-investigated-european-co...
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Deutsch: EU beschuldigt China, das Internet zensieren zu wollen
On 25 June 2009, the European Commission condemned Chinese plans to enforce the instalment of the "Green Dam Youth Escort" filtering software on all PCs sold starting with 1 July. As an unprecedented decision, the Chinese authorities postponed the action although they declared their intention to continue with these plans in the future.
Quoting the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the official Xinhua news agency stated: "The pre-installation was delayed as some computer producers said such a massive installation demanded extra time."
The Chinese officials claim the use of the internet filter is necessary to stop access of children to pornographic websites but the European Commission believes that "the aim of this internet filter, contrary to what Chinese authorities contend, is clearly to censor internet and limit freedom of expression" and therefore urged China to postpone the decision and requested a meeting at the "technical level to better understand what is at stake."
The European Commission emphasised that "Media pluralism, freedom of expression and press freedom are underlying elements of European democracy" adding that "China's insistence that the Green Dam filter be installed in new computers proves once again that censorship takes place in this country."
Also that United States consider that China's plans might be in violation of the World Trade Organization. Researchers at the University of Michigan who examined the software said it contained serious security vulnerabilities which could lead to computers entering under the control of outside parties via remote access and stated that the software text filter blocked words that included phrases considered politically sensitive by the Chinese Communist Party.
China has a long history of blocking websites with politically sensitive topics such as the 1989 Tiananmen democracy protests, the Falungong spiritual movement or any type of criticism of the government. Recently, access to Google was temporarily blocked as the engine was accused of displaying links to "pornographic" websites among its search results.
Chinese censorship of Internet 'unacceptable': EU (26.06.2009)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iAhA_CwXvHnRhZNjTcs...
China says Web censor plan to proceed: report (1.07.2009)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j-iEAehsvfpZHVVK0X7...
EU condemns Chinese roll-out of internet censorship software (26.06.2009)
http://euobserver.com/22/28378
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Deutsch: Azeri Online-Aktivisten wird Hooligmanismus angehängt – Haftstrafen
Two young Azeri bloggers - Emin Abdullayev (Milli), one of the founders of AN Network, a grass roots youth movement and Adnan Hajizada, a video-blogger from OL! Youth Movement - have been arrested by the police after they have been attacked by two persons in a restaurant and now are charged with hooliganism.
The two bloggers that are usually strong critics of the Azerbaijan government for its anti-democratic practices were involved, on 8 July, in a fight in a restaurant where two men assaulted them.
This looked like a fabricated case of hooliganism after the two bloggers tried to go to the police, but they were redirected to a different station. Both activists were injured, with a cut on his leg for Milli and a broken nose for Hajizada. In the end, the activists and the attackers were brought to the Baku Police Department where the two attackers were released, but the police arrested Hajizada for 48 hours, as a suspect in this case. The other activist, Milli, protested to this decision and therefore was also arrested.
Human rights activist Leyla Yunus explained for Radio Free Europe that the modus operandi leads her to conclude the whole incident could have been planned by the special services and police. She cited the case of Qanimat Zahid, editor in chief of the "Azadliq" newspaper, who was sentenced to four years in prison on hooliganism charges after being attacked by an unknown person.
In a closed trial on 10 July 2009 at the Sabail District Court of Baku, the judge decided to keep the two activists in pre-trial detention for two months. They are accused of "domestic group hooliganism" and received the harshest possible sanction, even though they had no criminal record.
As an irony of the present situation, the German Human Rights Commissioner Günter Nooke visited Azerbaijan on 10 July when Emin Milli was scheduled to be his freelance interpreter. Instead, Günter Nooke went to court to try to help Milli but, as other 150 people, he was not allowed to attend the trial. The judge did not accept any witnesses or the attackers to be heard and decided to keep the two activists in prison. During the detention time, they will be allowed to contact only their lawyers.
Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesman Sadig Gyozalov claimed that the incident was ordinary hooliganism and "it should not be politicized". He also insisted that " This is an act of hooliganism happening on everyday basis".
Several European Embassies, such as the German and Norwegian ones, have expressed their concern on this event, but they were accused by local authorities of interfering with local affairs.
Several protests have been initiated by local and international NGOs asking for the immediate release of the two online activists.
Youth Activists Arrested In Azerbaijan (9.07.2009)
http://www.rferl.org/content/Youth_Activists_Arrested_In_Azerbaijan_/1...
Azerbaijan: Youth activists, blogger, beaten and detained (8.07.2009)
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/07/08/azerbaijan-youth-activists-be...
Azeri blogger detained, oil major presses case (12.07.2009)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE56B1M220090712
Beaten activists sentenced for two months while investigation goes on
(11.07.2009)
http://frontlineclub.com/blogs/alisnovruzov/2009/07/beaten-activists-s...
Azerbaijan: Youth activist, prominent blogger imprisoned after trial behind
closed doors (12.07.2009)
http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2009/07/12/azerbaijan-youth-act...
Video - Emin Milli and Adnan Haji-zadeh at Police Station (8.07.2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pQzP7rBQ_c
EDRi-gram: ENDitorial: Regulating online media in Azerbaijan? (17.07.2009)
http://www.edri.org/edri-gram/number7.12/azerbaidjan-regulation-online...
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Deutsch: Irisches Vorratsdatenspeicherungsgesetz veröffentlicht
On 6 July, the Communications (Retention of Data) Bill 2009 was presented to the Irish Parliament. The Bill is intended to implement the Data Retention Directive and if enacted will establish a two year retention period for telephone data with a one year retention period for Internet and email data.
State access to the retained information will be available in respect of serious offences (generally those punishable by five year or more imprisonment and including revenue offences), saving of human life or safeguarding the security of the State. Access will be on the basis of internal authorisation within the police, revenue and army authorities with no judicial authorisation will be equired. There is no provision for cost recovery.
Supervision for the scheme will be provided under the existing Irish surveillance regime: a Designated Judge of the High Court will keep the scheme under annual review and a Complaints Referee (a judge of the Circuit Court) will be available to investigate complaints from individuals whose data has been wrongfully accessed.
The proposals in the Bill have been criticised, especially in comparison with the implementation of the Directive in other member states. There is no criminal sanction for unauthorised access to the majority of this data, nor for failure to store the data securely. Evidence obtained in breach of the provisions of the Bill is not made inadmissible. The Bill appears to end anonymity for pay as you go mobile phones by the back door - despite similar domestic proposals having been defeated recently. In addition, the quality of the supervision regime is poor; the annual report of the Designated Judge, for example, consists every year of three uninformative paragraphs. Remarkably, the Bill provides for submission of statistics to the Commission only and does not provide for disclosure of that information to Irish citizens or members of parliament.
Business will also be concerned by the vague nature of the obligations imposed. For example, the Bill simply repeats essentially verbatim the definition of "service provider" from the Directive, and imposes a data retention obligation on any "person who is engaged in the provision of a publicly available electronic communications service or a public communications network by means of fixed line or mobile telephones or the Internet". It is not clear from this definition whether e.g. private messages sent via a social networking site would be covered. The Bill also imposes unnecessary duplication on business: where several providers are involved, all will have to retain data (where in the UK for example there is provision to exempt downstream ISPs where the upstream ISP is retaining data).
Carol Coulter, "Bill allows Garda access to internet and phone data", Irish
Times (14.07.2009)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0714/1224250637782.ht...
Michael Brennan, "True extent of State's phone tapping could remain secret"
, Irish Independent (14.07.2009)
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/true-extent-of-states-phone-ta...
Communications (Retention of Data) Bill 2009
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/bills28/bills/2009/...
Eoin O'Dell, "Thoughts on the new Data Retention Bill" (14.07.2009)
http://www.digitalrights.ie/2009/07/13/thoughts-on-the-new-data-retent...
Daithi MacSithigh, "More Thoughts on the Data Retention Bill" (14.07.2009)
http://www.digitalrights.ie/2009/07/14/more-thoughts-on-the-data-reten...
(Contribution by TJ McIntyre, EDRi-member Digital Rights Ireland)
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Deutsch: Der Datenschutzbeauftragte äußert sich zum Stockholmprogramm
After the release of the Stockholm Programme considered by civil rights groups as enhancing the "dangerously authoritarian" European surveillance and security system, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) published on 13 July 2009 his opinion on the new system.
The EDPS demands for a stronger focus on fundamental rights in the Stockholm programme which is due to be adopted by the European Council in December 2009. Thus, he endorses the strategic approach of giving data protection a prominent place in the European Commission Communication on this topic, explaining this position:
"Indeed, many initiatives in the Area of freedom, security and justice rely on the use of personal data, and good data protection is crucial for their success. Respect of privacy and data protection is not only a legal obligation with an increasing recognition at EU level, but is also an issue which is crucial for European citizens, as shown by the results of the Eurobarometer. Moreover, restricting access to personal data is also crucial to ensure trust by law enforcement agencies."
In achieving this goal, the EDPS emphasises the need for a comprehensive data protection scheme covering all areas of EU competence, regardless of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. He also points out that "the notion of a comprehensive data protection scheme based on a general legal framework does not exclude the adoption of additional rules for data protection for the police and the judicial sector."
EDPS also supports the reaffirmation of the purpose limitation principle as a cornerstone of the data protection law, but does not forget to focus on the possibilities to improve the effeciency of the application of data protection principles.
The Programme should promote "Privacy by design" and privacy aware technologies. As regards sensitive information, the EDPS reaffirms the necessity to develop substantive criteria for the use of biometric data, ensuring that the data are only used when necessary, adequately and proportionately, and when an explicit, specified and legitimate purpose has been demonstrated by the legislator.
The concept of free movement of personal data, as presented in the EDPS opinion is criticized by Tony Bunyan: "However, the Opinion introduces a strange new interpretation of "free movement" - one of the four founding rights of the EU. "Free movement" is well understood to mean the right of people to move around within the EU. The EDPS argues that "free movement" also comprises "the free movement of (personal) data". But should it? The "free movement of personal data" is the invention of the state (EU and national) and big business. It does not give the people more rights, quite the reverse because they have little or no control over the use of their personal data."
In fact, the Stockholm Programme is not even popular in Stockholm, as public protests against the programme are organized on 15-17 July in Humlegården, Stockholm supported by the Swedish Pirate Party. Rick Falkvinge, founder of the Swedish Pirate Party, commented on his blog: "it feels almost obscene to the Swedish capital city synonymous with a package whose purpose is to introduce a Bodström Samhälle beyond what was previously seen, and the elimination of legal civil rights protection for it."
Area of freedom, security and justice: EDPS calls for strong emphasis on
fundamental rights in future Stockholm Programme (13.07.2009)
http://www.edps.europa.eu/EDPSWEB/webdav/site/mySite/shared/Documents/...
Opinion of the European Data Protection Supervisor on the Communication from
the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on an Area of
freedom, security and justice serving the citizen (10.07.2009)
http://www.edps.europa.eu/EDPSWEB/webdav/site/mySite/shared/Documents/...
The "Stockholm Programme" - "The Shape of Things to Come"
http://www.statewatch.org/stockholm-programme.htm
Protests Organizing Over 'Big Brother' Stockholm Program (12.07.2009)
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/86633/protests-organizing-over-big-brothe...
EDRi-gram: Stockholm programme - the new EU dangerous surveillance system
(17.06.2009)
http://www.edri.org/edri-gram/number7.12/stockholm-programme-eu-survei...
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Deutsch: Hadopi 2 vom französischen Senat sehr schnell angenommen
On 8 July 2009, in a very rapid session, the French Senate adopted the new three strikes draft law, so called Hadopi 2.
The only difference between the first version of the law and Hadopi 2 is that the sanctions to be applied to alleged illegal downloaders will be decided by the court and not by Hadopi authority. However, things are not improved as the entire process is speeded up by a simplified procedure that does not leave room for the presumption of innocence. Article 1 of the text provides that, "until proven otherwise", the statements made by Hadopi officers and presented before the judge are considered as evidence. The alleged offender is the one who is supposed to prove his (her) innocence.
The senators rejected the motion introduced by the opposition to send back the text to the legal commission as well as all other amendments except one that allows the alleged infringers to ask for a hearing to HADOPI and to be assisted.
Hadopi officers will have the authority to find copyright infringements on the P2P networks and electronic communications which means that they may open attached items to personal messages. The opposition asked the Senate to cancel the phrase "electronic communications" because it includes e-mails and instant messaging, as well which would mean breach of privacy.
But the new Minister of Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, justified the reintroduction of the phrase by the decision of the Constitutional Council saying that, based on the equality principle, the infringers could not be treated differently in terms of the different uses of the Internet.
The bill has in view two types of sanctions, the first one for infringement, consisting of a fine up to 300 000 euro and/or three years of prison and the suspension of the Internet connection for one year. The second one is applied to users that fail to secure their Internet connection and has been used for alleged illegal file-sharing, sanctioned with one month of suspension of the Internet connection and/or a 1500 euro fine.
The National Assembly is to debate the bill from 21 July. UMP Deputy Lionel Tardy announced on his blog he would propose a series of amendments to make the text in agreement with the Constitution in order to try to avoid "the humiliation of another censure from the Constitutional Council which will be final if the text remains as is."
On the other hand, for various reasons, the Socialist Party might choose not to notify the Constitutional Council under the explanation that even if adopted, Hadopi 2 will never actually be applied. However, this position will not be popular with Internet users.
Hadopi 2 - version adopted by French Senate (only in French, 8.07.2009)
http://www.senat.fr/leg/tas08-108.html
Hadopi - resumed (only in French, 8.07.2009)
http://www.ecrans.fr/Hadopi-c-est-reparti,7675.html
Hadopi 2: surveillance of the emails in the core of the debate (only in French, 10.07.2009)
http://www.01net.com/editorial/504351/hadopi-2-la-surveillance-des-e-m...
The Senate adopts the law Hadopi 2 in just one afternoon (only in French, 8.07.2009)
http://www.numerama.com/magazine/13409-Le-Senat-adopte-la-loi-Hadopi-2...
Hadopi 2: The Socialist Party plays its credibility in front of Internet
users (only in French, 13.07.2009)
http://www.numerama.com/magazine/13434-Hadopi-2-le-Parti-Socialiste-jo...
HADOPI raises from the dead, still as flawed (13.07.2009)
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/hadopi-raises-from-the-dead-still-as-fl...
EDRI-gram: The French Government acts like a bulldog with its three strikes
law (1.07.2009)
http://www.edri.org/edri-gram/number7.13/hadopi-two
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Deutsch: EU-Kommissarin: bestehende Geschäftsmodelle ermuntern illegales illeg...
On 9 July, during the Ludwig Erhard Lecture 2009 Lisbon Council in Brussels, Viviane Reding, EU telecommunications commissioner, while presenting the proposed strategy for a future digital European society, expressed the idea that present business models lead to the increase of the illegal copyrighted material.
Reding made a presentation of the EU strategy for the so called Digital Europe. In the European Commission's opinion, Europe's digital economy is the answer to the present economic crisis and the citizens aged between 16 and 24 years old, described as "digital natives", represent the "real growth potential for Europe." The Commission believes that with this generation growing older, a greater Internet use has the potential to create around one million jobs in Europe generating 850 billion euro in economic activity.
The Commissioner proposed some short term and medium term measures, the first priority for a five-year term having in view making the access to digital content easier and more attractive.
The Commissioner expressed the EU regret for the present "polarised debate on the matter: While many right holders insist that every unauthorised download from the internet is a violation of intellectual property rights and therefore illegal or even criminal, others stress that access to the internet is a crucial fundamental right. Let me be clear on this: Both sides are right. The drama is that after long and often fruitless battles, both camps have now dug themselves in their positions, without any signs of opening from either side."
Reding considers that the high increase of the illegal downloading on the Internet is largely due to deficiencies in the present business models. While she believes those who breach the law should be penalised, she also thinks that "growing internet piracy is a vote of no-confidence in existing business models and legal solutions. It should be a wake-up call for policy-makers."
Therefore, she considers "a consumer-friendly legal framework for accessing digital content in Europe's single market" should be built in cooperation with other Commissioners and she proposed some concrete measures in this respect.
One possible measure would be to facilitate the licensing of intellectual property rights for online services on the entire EU territory. EU needs a unitary, simpler regulatory framework in this direction as presently, instead of investing in services, online service providers and right holders waste time and money in the management of rights.
Another proposition is the creation of a set of rules encouraging the digitisation of books. "More than 90% of books in Europe's national libraries are no longer commercially available, because they are either out of print or orphan works (which means that nobody can be identified to give permission to use the work digitally). The creation of a Europe-wide public registry for such works could stimulate private investment in digitisation, while ensuring that authors get fair remuneration also in the digital world," said the commissioner who also warned on the fact that digitisation and attractive content offers will take place in the US and not in Europe "if we do not reform our European copyright rules on orphan works and libraries swiftly".
Ms Reding said the European Commission intended to open up a consultation period on the Digital Europe strategy in August.
Brussels claims failed business model is causing online piracy (9.07.2009)
http://euobserver.com/9/28438/?rk=1
EU Plans Overhaul Of Internet Download Rules (10.07.2009)
http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i8a6a2617e4c...
Viviane Reding EU Commissioner for Telecoms and Media Digital Europe -
Europe's Fast Track to Economic Recovery The Ludwig Erhard Lecture 2009
Lisbon Council, Brussels (9.07.2009)
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/336&...
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Deutsch: Die großen Plattenfirmen haben es auf die irischen ISPs abegesehen
The big music record companies, EMI Records (Ireland), Sony Music Entertainment Ireland, Universal Music Ireland, Warner Music Ireland and WEA International Incorporated, are after the Irish ISPs trying to force them to adopt a three strikes policy against repeated illegal file-sharers.
The record companies have recently entered separate cases into Ireland's Commercial Court against BT Communications Ireland and UPC Communications Ireland after having succeeded in reaching an off-court settlement with Eircom. In February 2009, Eircom agreed to implement a three strikes rule, cutting off subscribers that have allegdly infringed copyright and blocking websites the music industry forbids, such as the Pirate Bay.
After the settlement with Eircom, the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) representing the big music record companies sent a letter to other Irish ISPs threatening with court actions if they would not follow Eircom's example.
However, both companies refused to comply with the request. BT stated the deal with Eircom was just a private agreement between two independent legal parties and UPC considered the request was unacceptable as it violated its subscribers' rights and interests.
The music companies claimed that after having performed a 48-hour scan of the two ISPs' networks, their experts found BT had about 45 000 copyright infringements per month and UPC about 75 000 and therefore, IRMA was demanding injunctions against the ISPs for making copyrighted works available to the public.
The ISPs replied that although they did not support copyright infringement, they did not consider ISPs were supposed to act as internet police on behalf of the music industry.
After having received the summoning to court, UPC stated "it will not agree to a request that goes beyond what is currently provided under existing legislation. There is no basis under Irish law requiring ISPs to control, access or block the internet content its users download. In addition, the rights holders' proposal gives rise to serious concerns for data privacy and consumer contract law." In the company's opinion, the European as well and Irish legislation "maintains a careful balance between the rights and obligations of copyright owners, internet users and ISPs. The three strikes policy that was agreed in private with Eircom as part of the settlement, and any attempt to impose in upon the industry generally, seriously undermines that balance."
"BT Ireland believes there is no legal basis for such a claim and the proceedings will accordingly be strongly defended," was BT's clear and brief statement on the case.
The Music Industry v. ISPs - Round 2 - UPC and BT vow to fight (2.07.2009)
http://www.tjmcintyre.com/2009/07/music-industry-v-isps-round-2-upc-an...
Music labels take (more) Irish ISPs to court (7.07.2009)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/07/irma_sues_bt_and_upc_ireland/
UPC gets served with legal papers from big music labels (1.07.2009)
http://www.yourtechstuff.com/techwire/2009/07/upc-gets-served-with-leg...
Record firms take downloading action (7.07.2009)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0707/1224250171829.ht...
EDRI-gram: Irish ISP Association rejects the copyright industry threats
(25.03.2009)
http://www.edri.org/edri-gram/number7.6/irish-isp-against-copyright-ho...
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Deutsch: EU zwingt Schweden, die Richtlinie zur Vorratsdatenspeicherung umzuset...
The European Commission has decided to take the Swedish Government to the European court of Justice for failing to implement the data retention directive in a reasonable time frame.
The Swedish Data Retention Directive implementation was supported by former Social Democratic justice minister Thomas Bodström, but now it is not on the top favourite list for the current Minister of Justice Beatrice Ask. She estimated for the newspaper Svenska Dagladet that a draft bill would be ready in the next couple of months. The draft will ask for a 6-month period of traffic data retention for ISPs and telecom operators.
Privacy on the Internet is a hot topic in Sweden, after the recent court decision in The PirateBay case. Currently, several ISPs such as Bahnhof are deleting their traffic data on a regular basis, in order not to have problems with the local implementation of the IPRED directive. The implementation of the data retention directive might change that, although these data should be accessible only for "serious crimes" that might not include copyright infringement.
In an article for the newspaper Svenska Dagladet, Camilla Lindberg, a member of the Swedish Parliament for the Liberal Party, and Erik Josefsson, a candidate for the European Parliament for the Left Party, claimed that Sweden would show real European leadership if it checked whether the data retention directive was consistent with the European Convention on Human Rights. Both conclude that the "directive is a bad and expensive tool when it comes to protecting citizen freedoms and rights." Lindberg and Josefsson also argued that the directive breached the European Convention on Human Rights, and that the European Court of Justice would agree on this point, if it discussed the case on privacy grounds.
But Sweden is not the only country delayed in the implementation of an unpopular data retention directive with Austria, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands and Poland lagging behind the official deadline. But Ireland has just published its draft data retention implementation law, while the Dutch Senate has been very critical to the local implementation, as far as the discussions on 6 and 7 July reveal.
Sweden challenges EU data retention directive (27.05.2009)
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9133566/Sweden_challenges_EU_da...
EU sues Sweden, demands law requiring ISPs to retain data (27.05.2009)
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/05/eu-sues-sweden-demands...
Sweden sued over EU data directive inaction (26.05.2009)
http://www.thelocal.se/19680/20090526/
EDRi-gram: Irish Data Retention Bill published (15.07.2009)
http://www.edri.org/edri-gram/number7.14/ireland-data-retention-act
This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Zum Mitmachen
European Commission: Consultation on the legal framework for the fundamental
right to protection of personal data. Deadline for comments: 31.12.2009
http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/news/consulting_public/news_consultin...
Consultation on the EDPS video-surveillance guidelines (7.07.2009)
Deadline for comments: 15 September 2009
http://www.edps.europa.eu/EDPSWEB/webdav/site/mySite/shared/Documents/...
This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Lesestoff
The Expert Group on Internet Intermediaries of The Civil Society Information
Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) released a paper with recommendations to
the OECD for its work in this area. On 3 July 2009, CSISAC submitted a
policy paper to the OECD-ICCP Committee for consideration.
http://csisac.org/docs/OECD_Intermediary_071409_final.pdf
Full report on the COMMUNIA Conference 2009
http://communia-project.eu/node/283
Presentations available online
http://communia-project.eu/conf2009/programme
UK Data protection authority (ICO) Annual Report 2009
http://www.ico.gov.uk/Home/about_us/what_we_do/corporate_information/a...
This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Agenda
13-16 August 2009, Vierhouten, The Netherlands
Hacking at Random
http://www.har2009.org/
23-27 August 2009, Milan, Italy
World Library and Information Congress: 75th IFLA General Conference and
Council: "Libraries create futures: Building on cultural heritage"
http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla75/index.htm
10-12 September 2009, Potsdam, Germany
5th ECPR General Conference, Potsdam
Section: Protest Politics
Panel: The Contentious Politics of Intellectual Property
http://www.ecpr.org.uk/potsdam/default.asp
12 September 2009, Worldwide
2nd International Action Day "Freedom not Fear - Stop the Surveillance
Mania" Demonstrations, Events, Privacy Parties etc. in many countries
http://wiki.vorratsdatenspeicherung.de/Freedom_Not_Fear_2009
16-18 September 2009, Crete, Greece
World Summit on the Knowledge Society WSKS 2009
http://www.open-knowledge-society.org/
17-18 September 2009, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Gikii, A Workshop on Law, Technology and Popular Culture
Institute for Information Law (IViR) - University of Amsterdam
http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/gikii/2009.asp
21-23 October 2009, Istanbul, Turkey
eChallenges 2009
http://www.echallenges.org/e2009/default.asp
24-25 October 2009, Vienna, Austria
3rd European Privacy Open Space
http://www.privacyos.eu
25 October 2009, Vienna, Austria
Austrian Big Brother Awards
Deadline for nominations: 21 September 2009
http://www.bigbrotherawards.at/
16 October 2009, Bielefeld, Germany
10th German Big Brother Awards
Deadline for nominations: 15 July 2009
http://www.bigbrotherawards.de/
29 October - 1 November 2009, Barcelona, Spain
International Forum on Free Culture
http://exgae.net/los-oxcars
3 November 2009, Madrid, Spain
Civil Society Conference: "Global Privacy Standards for a Global Economy"
Organized by Electronic Privacy Information Center
http://www.privacyconference2009.org/privacyconf2009/home/eventos_prev...
4-6 November 2009, Madrid, Spain
31st International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy
http://www.privacyconference2009.org
13-15 November 2009, Gothenburg, Sweden
Free Society Conference and Nordic Summit
http://www.fscons.org/
15-18 November 2009, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
UN Internet Governance Forum
http://www.intgovforum.org/