Law and policy regarding the capture of communications data continues to dominate the headlines for 2016 The European Data Protection Day, and the equivalent US/Canadian Data Privacy Day, coincided last week on 28 January. Their purpose – this year in the 10th edition of their kind, corresponding to the anniversary of the opening for signature … Continue reading
Tag Archives: RIPA
Access to data / content data / Data protection / Data retention / deep packet inspection / ISPs / Law enforcement / metadata / Personal data / Privacy / Surveillance
The Draft IP Bill and data retention obligations: on the irony of the invalidation of the Data Retention Directive
The Draft Investigatory Powers (IP) Bill was published on the 4th of November. It aims to “govern the use and oversight of investigatory powers by law enforcement and the security and intelligence agencies” in the UK. It is an attempt both to simplify the legal framework and legalise practices, which means it is, in part, … Continue reading
Opinion on drones released by EU Data Protection Working Party
“Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral” – How far might future usage of drone technology affect the very fabric of the societies in which we live? The Article 29 EU Working Party (WP) has issued an Opinion about the data protection and privacy implications of utilising unmanned aerial systems (“drones”). This … Continue reading
On surveillance, safe harbour and Schrems…Are we that stuck?
Readers of this blog will almost certainly be aware that the European Union (EU) was the first regional organisation on the international stage to adopt a comprehensive, and relatively stringent, data protection regime. Yet, as the Internet is a global communications infrastructure, the EU has had to find ways to dialogue with non-EU (‘third’) countries … Continue reading
Updated communications data codes of practice come into effect in the UK
Legal framework for managing the processes around mandatory communications data regime formally enhanced Secondary legislation (the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data: Code of Practice) Order 2015 (SI 2015/927) and the Retention of Communications Data (Code of Practice) Order 2015 (SI 2015/926)) was enacted at the end of March, bringing into … Continue reading
Interception of communications data by UK intelligence agencies breached human rights, rules Investigatory Powers Tribunal, but breach subsequently held to be rectified
Tribunal throws unprecedented critical spotlight on the human-rights compliancy of the UK ‘spy’ agency activities revealed by Snowden The difficulties created by the borderless nature of modern communications are no more evident than when considered in the context of the duties of nation states to look after the security of their citizens, and the outpacing … Continue reading
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 receives UK Royal Assent
Confirmed (albeit temporary) expansion in data retention powers to add new cyber-clue pieces to identity-profile ‘jigsaws’ The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 was enacted on 12 February 2015, following agreement by both Houses of Parliament on the text of the Bill (discussed on this blog here and here). The Act contains a number of tough … Continue reading
Could the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill really change things for online service providers?
The Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill (CTSB) was introduced in the House of Commons on 26 November 2014 as a way to “address the capabilities gap the authorities face when it comes to communications data” says Theresa May. In particular, the aim is to “require internet providers to retain Internet Protocol – or IP – address … Continue reading
What the hell are these metadata? ….Are communications data, traffic data and metadata all the same thing?
And here is the first Peep Beep! post: The Snowden revelations have transformed the word “metadata” into a buzzword. The question that many are asking these days is who can collect and retain metadata. Can law enforcement agencies and intelligence services collect and retain metadata at their will? Can Internet access providers do what they … Continue reading