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The first worldwide protests against surveillance measures such as the collection of all telecommunications data, the surveillance of air travellers and the biometric registration of citizens were held on 11 October 2008 under the motto "Freedom not Fear - Stop the surveillance mania!". In at least 15 countries citizens demanded a cutback on surveillance, a moratorium on new surveillance powers and an independent evaluation of existing surveillance powers.

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Some of the amendments passed by the European Parliament (EP) on the Telecom package are still worrying the civil rights groups, both on data retention and IP issues. Also, the fact that some amendments of the EP do not appear in the new document of the European Council working party on Telecommunications and the Information Society creates more confusion.

According to information from Patrick Breyer from the German Working Group on Data Retention, amendment 181 passed by the European Parliament regarding directive 2002/58/EC could be read to legalise "voluntary" blanket data retention practices as currently practised in the US.

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70 international experts and e-activists met in Budapest on Friday 19 September to discuss EU-wide policies on data retention and to develop strategies for defending and enhancing privacy.

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UK government intends to oblige ISPs and telephone companies to keep Internet personal data traffic for at least 12 months and local, health authorities and lots of other public bodies are to be given access to details of everyone's personal Internet information.

On 15 August 2008, the Home Office published a consultation paper which makes clear that the personal data will now be available for crime and public order investigations and may even be used to prevent people self-harming.

Serbia's Republic Agency for Telecommunications (RATEL) published on 21 July 2008 a document of Instructions for Technical Requirements for Subsystems, Devices, Hardware and Installation of Internet Networks. The document explains the technical requirements for authorized monitoring of some telecom services and provides a list of obligations for the telecom operators.

According with the present text, the ISPs will have to let the police access their databases, including users' e-mail content or browsing history. This regulation seems to be the Serbian version of the data retention directive, since the scope is defined as fighting cyber crime and terrorism.

Danica Radovanovic explains on his blog at GlobalVoices what are the present requirements: "Internet Service Providers (ISP) are obligated to enable

Several leading human rights NGOs from Macedonia issued a reaction to the Parliament and the Government of Republic of Macedonia on 24 June 2008, regarding the recent changes in the Law on Criminal Procedure and the Law on Interception of Communications, allowing special investigative measures (such as surveillance).

The Foundation Open Society Institute - Macedonia, the Association for Criminal Justice and Criminology of Macedonia and the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the Republic of Macedonia expressed deep concern because of the fast-track adoption of changes in the legislation "without no expert discussion whatsoever." These changes can turn Macedonia from a state based on a rule of law into a "police state unconcerned with respect of basic human rights and freedoms."

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The High Court in Dublin has allowed the Irish Human Rights Commission to become a party to the data retention challenge being brought by Digital Rights Ireland. The Human Rights Commission, which is a state body, will be an amicus curiae (friend of the court) with the ability to make submissions about the fundamental rights implications of data retention. The Chief Executive of the Commission Éamonn Mac Aodha stated:

"This case raises important issues about the extent to which laws and measures governing the monitoring of one's private life by the State in pursuit of tackling crime possess sufficient human rights safeguards". Mr MacAodha continued "one of the priorities of the IHRC is to address

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On 31 May 2008, privacy activists organized new rallies in more than 30 cities across Germany.

Following the November 2007 protests under the motto "Freedom not Fear"("Freiheit statt Angst"), thousands of citizens participated in this year street actions.

Numerous demonstrations, rallies, information events, as well as workshops and art performances sent clear signals to protect constitutional rights and limit the rampant proliferation of surveillance.

The rallies had the goal of demonstrating to the ruling grand coalition, a decisive NO of citizens to the blanket collection and storage of data, as well as to the surveillance of all details of daily life. The activities were