From: Twister (Bettina Winsemann) Privacy International [PI] and European Digital Rights[EDRI] have published their joint answer to the consultation on mandatory data retention. The Directorate General on Information Society and on Justice and Home Affairs from the European Commission asked for public comments on a proposed retention regime across Europe between 12 and 36 months for all traffic data generated by using fixed and mobile telephony and Internet. The deadline for comments expires on 15 September 2004. PI and the 15 member organisations of EDRI call on all organisations to sign on to this answer!
The EU plans the wide-spread retention of personal data resulting from communications, or so-called traffic data. We argue that any such retention is necessarily a hazardously invasive act. With the progress of technology, this data is well beyond being simple logs of who we've called and when we called them. Traffic data can now be used to create a map of human associations and more importantly, a map of human activity and intention. As technologies become more invasive, and as laws are increasingly reluctant to protect individual rights, the European Union should be fulfilling its role to uphold the rights of individuals. Data retention is an invasive and illegal practice with illusory benefits. We invite any other organisations to endorse the response. Please sign on ASAP but not later than 15.09.2004, 10:00 AM. Form to sign online http://www.edri.org/cgi-bin/index?id=000100000162 Answer to the EU commission: http://www.privacyinternational.org/issues/terrorism/rpt/responsetoretention .html Summary about Data Retention http://quintessenz.org/data_retention -- You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.
