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European Privacy
      
Date Article Title Publication Author Synopsis
6/29/2009 La protection des donnees ne veut pas se laisser deborder par Facebook Tribune de Geneve   Switzerland's Federal Data Protection Commissioner Hanspeter Thür released his annual report.
6/29/2009 Spy Society Mirror.co.uk Matt Roper The Daily Mirror recently exercised the Freedom of Information Act in an effort to discover the amount of data amassed on the average British citizen. 
6/29/2009 Think-tank proposes decentralised data storage V3.co.uk Phil Muncaster The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) feels the government should give citizens more control over their personal data.
6/27/2009 20% of ID theft victims not reimbursed MoneyHighStreet.com Staff Writer Which? is calling on the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to provide guidance that would help identity theft victims recover their losses.
6/25/2009 EU data monitors outline Facebook ground rules euobserver.com Leigh Philips The Article 29 Working Party opinion on social networking warns that users of social networking sites, not just the sites themselves, must follow EU data protection rules.
6/25/2009 European Commission probes privacy concerns over tracking technologies Computer Active Dinah Greek The European Commission has launched an inquiry into the privacy implications of pervasive tracking technologies.
6/24/2009 EU lays out web privacy rules Wall Street Journal   European officials want social networking sites to comply with EU privacy laws.
6/24/2009 Data privacy debate to come to the fore, experts say printweek.com William Mitting The editor of Data Strategy magazine says more transparency is on the way when it comes to data management regulation.
6/23/2009 You can't ban parents from taking pictures, schools told Mail Online James Slack The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says the Data Protection Act does not prohibit parents from photographing their children and friends at school events.
6/23/2009 Italian Court Postpones Trial of Four Google Execs PC World Paul Meller Court proceedings were set to continue today in the trial against four Google executives accused of defamation and privacy violations, but proceedings were postponed until fall due to the translator's absence.
6/23/2009 Privacy regulator to step up spot checks on EU bodies Out-law.com   The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) will conduct more compliance spot checks of EU bodies and agencies.
6/23/2009 Google trial in Italy: freedom vs. responsibility Associated Press Ariel David Critical testimony from a Google video technician could not be heard in the criminal trial against four Google executives when an interpreter failed to show up in Milan court.
6/22/2009 Mobile phone directory firm faces legal questions over breaches of privacy law Mail Online Staff Writer The company behind a controversial mobile phone directory that launched Friday is struggling to defend its procurement of mobile phone numbers.
6/22/2009 City council rapped for data breach Crain's Manchester Business Simon Binns The Manchester City Council breached the Data Protection Act in failing to adequately protect the personal information of school employees.
6/19/2009 Social marketing 'faces privacy curbs' Ashdown Group Jon Aspinell The Article 29 Working Party has published its concerns about the collection and use of social networkers' personal information. 
6/18/2009 Facebook hit by privacy blow FT.com Richard Waters European data protection regulators want tougher restrictions on social networks' release of users' personal information to third-party developers.
6/18/2009 ICO to investigate Parcelforce data breach IT Pro Asavin Wattanajantra The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will investigate the loss of personal data by a Royal Mail entity.
6/17/2009 Ministers 'do not value privacy' BBC News   The Lords Constitution Committee will debate the state's use of surveillance in British society.
6/17/2009 Google bows to pressure for German Street View Associated Press   German data protection officials and Google have reached a compromise on certain aspects of the company's Street View feature.
6/16/2009 Tories will end 'Big Brother' state guardian.co.uk Press Association Shadow security minister Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones says a future Tory Government would "substantially curtail" the Regulatory of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) and would draw back the "database state." 
6/16/2009 Privacy notices must be consumer friendly, says Information Commissioner PublicTechnology.net   Research findings have indicated that privacy policies baffle consumers. 
6/16/2009 Privacy stepped up for Google Street View swissinfo.ch   Swiss data protection commissioner Hans-Peter Thür announced that Google must adhere to Swiss laws before rolling out its Street View service in that country.
6/15/2009 Information Commissioner Thomas awarded CBE Brand Republic News Noelle McElhatton Outgoing Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, being appointed as a CBE for public service.
6/13/2009 Privacy watchdog sees risk of rumor in child abuse database guardian.co.uk David Hencke The Information Commissioner has expressed concern about two databases intended to help protect children.
6/11/2009 French Senate Issues Report on Privacy in the Digital Age Hunton & Williams Privacy Blog   The French Senate's Commission on Laws released a report on privacy in the digital age.
6/10/2009 Insurance giant rapped on knuckles over DPA breach The Register John Leyden Insurance firm Amicus Legal has signed a formal undertaking with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for breaching the Data Protection Act.
6/9/2009 Opt out or your number's up for mobile phone privacy Times Online Elizabeth Judge A first-of-its-kind mobile phone directory goes live.
6/9/2009 Data watchdog clears mobile phone directory The Register Chris Williams The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says Connectivity's mobile phone directory service is "privacy friendly." 
6/9/2009 Swedish Regulators Look at Handling of Mobile Location Data PC World Mikael Ricknäs Swedish regulators are looking into mobile operators' practice of selling customers' location information.
6/5/2009 Germany, Google Still in Conflict Over Street View Data PC World Jeremy Kirk Talks continue between Google and German data protection officials regarding the company's Street View feature.
6/5/2009 All new IT systems should build in privacy safeguards, says ICO Computer Weekly Warwick Ashford The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is reminding UK organisations to put privacy up front when developing new IT systems.
6/4/2009 ICO raps hospital for breach IT Pro Nicole Kobie The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has required the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust to sign a "formal undertaking" on data protection.
6/3/2009 The French Government wants to spy on electronic communications European Digital Rights   A proposed French law on domestic security would give the Criminal Investigative Police access to citizens' electronic communications in some cases.
6/3/2009 British Standard on data protection is published Out-law.com   The new British data protection standard, BS 10012:2009, requires that organisations designate a senior manager to be accountable for managing personal data.
6/2/2009 One in five firms have breached Data Protection Act Computing  Bryan Glick The British Standards Institution (BSI) today released a new data protection standard, along with survey results suggesting that it comes at a good time.
5/27/2009 Google Street View to launch despite privacy complaints The Local   Google will launch the German version of its Street View feature "promptly." 
5/27/2009 EU sues Sweden, demands law requiring ISPs to retain data ARS Technica Nate Anderson Sweden's failure to bring data retention legislation to the table has prompted the European Commission to sue the state.
5/26/2009 Patients gain right to scrub e-records from NHS database The Register John Leyden NHS officials have reversed their earlier stance that patients would not be allowed to have their personal medical information removed from a proposed national medical database.
5/25/2009 NHS 'loses' thousands of medical records The Independent Michael Savage British Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has called for an immediate overhaul of NHS information security efforts.
5/22/2009 ICO to launch web data-protection code ZDNET.co.uk Tom Espiner The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will next year publish a data protection code of practice for Web companies.
5/20/2009 Europe defends data protection law Computer Weekly Mark Ballard At a conference in Brussels this week, European officials backed the EU Data Protection Directive, with Article 29 Working Party president Alex Turk saying that Europe will not weaken its data protection standards for the sake of global commerce.
5/20/2009 Protecting Privacy: Hamburg Reaches Deal with Google on Street View Spiegel Online   Hamburg's data protection authority and Google have reached a preliminary arrangement regarding the company's online mapping service, Street View.
5/19/2009 The cracks in data privacy European Voice Lorenzo Valeri and Neil Robinson Two of the authors of a recently released RAND Europe report on the EU Data Protection Directive say that the EU probably does not need to issue a new directive soon, but regulators should address discordance in member states' privacy regulations and enforcement approaches.
5/19/2009 Google gets fast-track in trial in Italy defamation case MacWorld Philip Willan The judge in the defamation case against four Google executives granted Google lawyers' request for a fast-track procedure.
5/19/2009 Google Threatened With Sanctions Over Photo Mapping Service in Germany New York Times Kevin J. O'Brien A German data protection official said that Google must provide written guarantees on 12 points surrounding its Street View service by 10 a.m. today, or face sanctions.
5/19/2009 UK Says Privacy Laws Enough to Keep Phorm in Check Guardian Reuters In response to a citizens' online petition, the UK government said that Britain's data protection laws offer sufficient protection from certain behavioral advertising techniques.
5/17/2009 Swiss narrowly accept biometric passport pr-inside.com Associated Press Swiss voters narrowly approved a referendum to add biometric technologies into passports.
5/15/2009 Privacy tsar: Gov't will collect less data ZDNET.co.uk   Outgoing UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas says the tide is turning against government's tendency to collect data
5/14/2009 ASA chief to be next privacy watchdog Computing  Tom Young Christopher Graham has been officially confirmed as Britain's new information commissioner.
5/14/2009 Time to elect our information commissioner Guardian Michael Cross Michael Cross notes the expanded role of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and wonders whether the expansion, and the increased government funding to sustain it, might mean it's time for Britons to elect their information commissioner. 
5/13/2009 EC sets out privacy requirement for smart RFID tags ComputerWorld Paul Meller The European Commission (EC) issued a formal recommendation on the privacy-sensitive deployment of radio frequency identification technology (RFID).
5/13/2009 Increase in complaints over personal data The Irish Times Paul Cullen Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes noted a decrease in spam complaints in 2008.
5/13/2009 EU data directive needs to get real, says report Computer Weekly Warwick Ashford UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas says he hopes the results of a Rand Europe study on the EU Data Protection Directive will stimulate debate.
5/13/2009 Health insurance sold patient data illegally The Local   Public insurers may have sold confidential patient information to private insurers.
5/12/2009 North-east NHS chiefs hunt data files thief Press & Journal Stephen Christie An NHS official said yesterday that a hospital employee may be responsible for the theft of 175 new mothers' medical information.
5/12/2009 Greece puts the brakes on Street View BBC News   The Greek data protection agency has banned Google from expanding its Street View mapping service until regulators receive more information from the company.
5/12/2009 Basis of data protection law is out of date, says privacy regulator Out-law.com   A RAND Europe study questions the efficacy of the EU Data Protection Directive.
5/11/2009 Baby records theft sparks inquiry BBC News   NHS officials are investigating the apparent theft of 175 records from its Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.
5/8/2009 Grumbles as Google "Street View" cars begin prowling Budapest caboodle.hu   Google camera cars arrived in Budapest last week to photograph the city's byways for the company's Street View mapping service.
5/7/2009 Europe Votes Sweeping Telecom Reform Business Week David Meyer The European Parliament passed legislation requiring European telecoms and Internet service providers (ISPs) to notify their customers in the event of a personal data breach.
5/7/2009 Privacy watchdog concerned over electronic health records Computing  Tom Young Britain's Information Commissioner has concerns about the security of electronic patient records.
5/6/2009 Chemists and post offices to take fingerprints as part of national ID scheme Telegraph.co.uk Tom Whitehead Britain's Home Secretary is in talks with chemists, postal authorities and others about capturing citizens' biometrics for the nation's new identification cards.
5/6/2009 E.U. to Consider More Stringent Reporting of Data Breaches New York Times Kevin J. O'Brien Telecommunications commissioner Viviane Reding said the European Commission (EC) will pursue a law requiring most businesses, agencies and organizations to notify customers in the event they lose sensitive customer data.
5/5/2009 Commission wants stronger sanctions against online spam EuropeanVoice.com Judith Crosbie European telecoms and consumer protection commissioners believe better privacy protections will help boost consumer confidence in e-commerce. 
5/1/2009 Swiss government to back UBS in US tax case Forbes Associated Press The Swiss government is requesting a Miami court reject a U.S. government petition to force UBS to disclose the names of suspected tax evaders.
5/1/2009 Behavioural advertising: a Phorm in a teacup? vnunet.com Rosalie Marshall The privacy debate surrounding behavioural targeting continues to rage, with government officials on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond exploring the legality of the method. 
4/30/2009 Passaporto biometric, privacy a rischio LaNotizia.ch   Swiss citizens will vote on a biometric passport referendum May 17.
4/30/2009 Newly added questions: Is Phorm's new website really going to stop foul play? Guardian Charles Arthur A new Web site launched by the behavioural targeting firm, Phorm, aims to "set out the true story," which, the company says, has been distorted in "a smear campaign orchestrated by a small but dedicated band of online 'privacy pirates...'" 
4/29/2009 Swedish ISP Says It Will Not Store Customer IP Addresses  IDG via PC World Mikael Ricknäs Swedish ISP Tele2 has decided not to store customer IP addresses in response to customer demand after Sweden implemented a law to make it easier for copyright holders to go after file sharers.
4/29/2009 Satellite to track school children on Denbighshire buses  Denbighshire Visitor  Andrew Davies A NEW satellite tracking system is set to watch the every move of school pupils on public transport.
4/28/2009 Physical dimension' of net raises security concerns  ZDNet Steve Ranger The use of technologies such as RFID will force a rethink of how IT security is implemented, because the adoption of such devices will mean the internet takes on a "physical dimension" rather than just living inside PCs, according to Ari Juels, chief scientist and director of RSA Labs.
4/28/2009 Experts wary of latest Big Brother comms data plans  VNUNet Rosalie Marshall The government confirmed that its plans for retaining all communications data, including logs of phone calls, internet visits and emails, would not include the development of a £12bn centralised 'super database' to store the information.
4/28/2009 David Blunkett: 'ID cards should be scrapped' Telegraph Tom Whitehead David Blunkett, the former Home Secretary, has said that the ID card scheme should be scrapped, eight years after he first introduced the idea.
4/28/2009 Commission seeks external advice on internet privacy EuropeanVoice Judith Crosbie The European Commission (EC) will seek outside opinions on how best to address a so-called privacy paradox among youth
4/27/2009 Internet privacy: Mind your own business The Journal Fred Cate Center for Information Policy Leadership advisor Fred Cate says that protecting privacy in this world of widespread data collection and information sharing requires many tools, "... but most of all it requires strong laws that impose serious obligations on industry to act as stewards, not merely processors, of our data, and firm limits on government access to those data." 
4/27/2009 Government wants phone and internet providers to track users Guardian Alan Travis Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said that the Home Office no longer plans to store citizens' communications details in a centralized, state-run database.
4/27/2009 UK outlines Facebook monitoring plans ZDNet Tom Espiner and David Meyer  The UK government wants communications service providers to record, retain and process details of all communications that take place over their networks, the home secretary said on Monday.
4/27/2009 Plan to monitor all internet use BBC News Dominic Casciani Communications firms are being asked to record all internet contacts between people as part of a modernisation in UK police surveillance tactics.
4/27/2009 National database dropped but all our communications will still be monitored Telegraph Tom Whitehead Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, scrapped plans for a national communications database amid privacy fears, but every email, phone call and website visit will still be monitored by the Government.
4/27/2009 Google Street View to launch desptie privacy concerns The Local   Google will launch the German version of its Street View mapping service "promptly." 
4/26/2009 Defending the public space Guardian Michael Cross Supporters of liberty should not merely accept the Information Commissioner's Office ruling that Google Street View does not contravene the Data Protection Act. They should applaud it.
4/24/2009 Street View nod prompts call for privacy watchdog reform rinf.com Chris Williams The London-based Privacy International (PI) group is asking government officials to reform the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
4/24/2009 Paying billions for our database state Guardian Henry Porter It is cost rather than privacy concerns that will save us from Labour's megalomaniac surveillance schemes - a point underlined this morning when David Cameron was interviewed on the Today programme.
4/24/2009 The great British data free-for-all Guardian Sue Miller Yesterday's important House of Lords debate on civil liberties and electronic surveillance highlighted two areas in which the EU has stepped into the gaping hole left by the UK government.
4/24/2009 Stolen NHS laptop has records of 1,400 Scots Aberdeen Press & Journal Ryan Crighton The UK Information Commissioner is demanding an explanation for a breach of personal information at Scotland's Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
4/23/2009 Google Street View cleared of breaking Data Protection Act  Guardian Matthew Weaver Google Street View: a ban would be disproportionate to the privacy risks, the Information Commissioner's office says.
4/23/2009 Common sense on Street View must prevail, says the ICO Information Commissioner's Office   The ICO has confirmed to Privacy International that the removal of an entire service of this type would be disproportionate to the relatively small risk of privacy detriment.
4/23/2009 Taking the privacy battle to the streets  What PC? Gareth Morgan When the residents of Broughton rose up against Google Street View, were they striking a blow for freedom, or succumbing to an irrational fear?
4/23/2009 Phorm not worried by government ISP investigation  IT Pro Nicole Kobie The new All Party Parliamentary Group on Communications will look intoissuse like online privacy and behavioural advertising.
4/23/2009 Workers name their price for company secrets Out-Law News   More than one in three workers have said that they would be willing to sell their employer's secrets to a stranger. 
4/23/2009 The UK Minority Report: Has 'Precrime' Pakistan Daily   A recent article in the UK Independent entitled, Police identify 200 children as potential terrorists, heralds what looks to be the unofficial beginning of British law enforcement's own "Pre-crime" program. 
4/23/2009 Doubt cast over ContactPoint security assurances No, Minister  The Register John Leyden A UK government minister has issued assurances about the security of the government's child protection database ContactPoint, but the minister's assurances are incomplete, if not misguided, says one expert.
4/23/2009 UK rejects privacy group's gripes about Google Street View  Ars Technica Jacqui Cheng The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK has once again given the thumbs-up to Google's Street View after reviewing complaints from a UK privacy group. 
4/23/2009 Time to Put the Brakes On the Cybersecurity Act of 2009  And heed Eisenhower's famous warning WebProNews Jason Lee Miller What is essentially a federal government power grab combined with a giant money grab for industry is a real and perhaps unnecessary threat to your privacy and personal security. 
4/22/2009 MPs to prove ISP snooping and throttling The Register Chris Williams A cross-party group of MPs and Lords has launched an inquiry into certain Internet practices that are reliant on deep packet inspection (DPI) technology.
4/22/2009 Web founder makes online privacy plea AFP via Google   Internet pioneer Tim Berners-Lee echoed a call he made at a House of Lords roundtable event last month: certain behavioural advertising practices threaten the integrity of the World Wide Web.
4/22/2009 Information Commissioner contacted 74 times over Street View concerns Out-Law News   The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has received 74 complaints about the service Google Street View.
4/22/2009 Spy chiefs size up net snoop gear - Deep packet inspection bonanza  The Register Chris Williams The security minister has confirmed officials are considering installing technology that could enable on-demand wiretapping of all communications passing over the internet by the intelligence services and law enforcement.
4/22/2009 Swedish 'Pirate Party' surges following P2P ruling EurActiv   The 'pirates' will now contest the European elections in June on their usual mandate of copyright law reform, abolishing patents and increased privacy rights for EU citizens.
4/22/2009 European Union, World Anti-Doping Agency poised for more confrontation The Canadian Press   An independent European Union advisory panel released a report critical of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) 'whereabouts' rule for Olympic-level athletes. 
4/22/2009 EU panel says WADA should reassess "whereabouts" rule Reuters Darren Ellis The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) should reassess its so-called "whereabouts" rule as many points contravene the European Union's privacy laws, a key EU panel said. 
4/21/2009 Google video trial stays in Milan, but Fast-Track possible CIO Philip Willan The criminal trial of four Google executives will stay in Milan.
4/21/2009 Surveillance Britain What PC? Jon Thompson The rise of surveillance and databases in the UK has led to comparisons with Big Brother. 
4/21/2009 Labour is stifling the right to protest Guardian Henry Porter The news that government officials have been passing intelligence on climate change activists to a power company serves to underline the unhealthy closeness between big business and the British government during the Labour years.
4/21/2009 Recession-hit UK 'fears ID theft' BBC News   Nearly three-quarters of UK consumers think that they are at greater risk of identity theft and credit card fraud as a result of the world financial crisis.
4/20/2009 Consumer study finds fraud fears deepening Computer Business Review  Kevin White  
4/20/2009 MySpace insider data breach leads to HQ shutdown  SiliconRepublic.com  Marie Boran While the usual cause of a data breach at a social-networking site is down to an outsider hacking into the database, last week's breach at MySpace was attributed to an employee who gathered the names, social security numbers and other personal information on a number of his co-workers.
4/20/2009 Serious data breach by British Council leads to tough action from Information Commissioner PublicTechnology.net   The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has required the British Council to sign a formal Undertaking based on its violation of the Data Protection Act.
4/20/2009 Under-caution spam faxer fined over £6,000  Out-Law News   An Enforcement Notice from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) didn't stop a debt recovery firm from sending hundreds more unwanted faxes.
4/20/2009 ICO rules against British Council Disc loss doh! The Register Kablenet The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has found the British Council in breach of the Data Protection Act after the loss of an unencrypted computer disc.
4/20/2009 Council use of RIPA needs to be reined in, says Government Out-Law News   The Government has admitted that local authorities have abused surveillance powers and has ordered a review of snooping law the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA).
4/19/2009 Councils defend the right to snoop Scotsman David Leask SCOTLAND's biggest Town Hall snoopers have slashed their use of controversial MI5-style surveillance operations.
4/19/2009 Leaders' personal data leaked after EU-US summit  Deutsche Welle   The Czech EU presidency admitted Saturday that personal data of European leaders who travelled to a recent EU-US summit in Prague had been leaked.
4/19/2009 Councils' surveillance powers under review  Wales on Sunday Sarah Bunney A MOVE to review councils' use of anti-terror laws to spy on the public has been welcomed by campaigners and politicians who fear we increasingly live in a Big Brother-style society.
4/17/2009 Gov't wants 'greater transparency' in use of local surveillance powers  Guardian Hélène Mulholland and Vikram Dodd Review of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act designed to stop legislation being used for 'trivial' purposes.
4/17/2009 NHS stems data breaches with USB sticks  Computerworld UK John E. Dunn The UK has made a start at shedding its reputation as a data breach hotspot with the news that 100 hospitals are to start using encrypted USB sticks from Swedish company BlockMaster. 
4/17/2009 Council powers to spy on the public are cut  The Times Richard Ford Councils are to have their powers to snoop on the public severely curtailed.
4/16/2009 ISP sabotages file sharing law The Local   As of April 1, Swedish courts can order Internet operators to submit the details of their clients if they are suspected of sharing files illegally.
4/16/2009 Amazon bars controversial Phorm technology from its sites Out-Law News   Amazon has barred web monitoring advertising system Webwise from accessing its web sites. 
4/16/2009 Wikipedia Opts Out of Phorm User-Tracking  Wired News Ryan Singel Wikipedia told the controversial U.K. advertising firm Phorm on Thursday not to spy on Wikipedia's users, saying the company's plan to monitor what sites people visit on the net invaded people's privacy.
4/16/2009 Online and anonymous: Swedish ISP won't retain Internet data Ars Technica Nate Anderson Now that Swedish ISPs are required to turn over user data to courts for all sorts of offenses, one ISP is fighting back by refusing to archive such data in the first place.  The move is legal… for now.
4/16/2009 Commission threatens action on social networking, RFID privacy  Out-Law   The European Commission has said that it will take action against countries which do not protect people against privacy invasions from new technologies. It said that it would be particularly vigilant about the use of social networking and ID chips.
4/16/2009 Websites should back Phorm: answer to monetising the internet  Telegraph Rupert Neate Phorm, the Aim-listed company behind the secret advertising trials which on Tuesday invoked the wrath of the EU, has an incredibly bad reputation but its technology could be the only way companies will actually make money out of the internet advertising.
4/16/2009 Amazon opts out of Phorm's targeted internet advertising system after privacy fears Guardian Richard Wray European Commission authorities said they would take action against the British government for not complying with EU data protection laws by allowing Phorm to employ its targeted advertising technology on an Internet service provider's network. 
4/15/2009 Use a proxy, go to jail? Econsultancy Patricio Robles Web proxy servers are not new. These servers, which serve as 'middlemen' for accessing the web, are often used by corporations to accelerate web browsing through caching and to filter traffic. 
4/15/2009 Report: Data theft soars, Organised crime behind 90%  Computerworld UK Siobhan Chapman In its 2009 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), Verizon investigated 90 data breach cases that exposed a 285 million records, which is equivalent to nine records per second. 
4/15/2009 EU, WADA to intensify talks on data protection USA Today Derek Gatopoulos Although European and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials reached a compromise on some data protection matters recently, privacy discussions will continue
4/14/2009 UK's privacy laws illegally inadequate, says Europe Out-Law News   UK laws protecting the privacy of people's communications are inadequate.
4/14/2009 EU to sue Britain over Internet privacy Associated Press via Google Aoife White The European Union started legal action against Britain on Tuesday for not applying EU data privacy rules that would restrict an Internet advertising tracker, called Phorm, from watching how users surf the web.
4/14/2009 Citizens' privacy must become priority in digital age The Sofia Echo Clive Leviev-Sawyer In a video address, European Telecommunications Commissioner Viviane Reding asserted that the European Commission will go farther and farther to protect the privacy rights of Europeans, if need be. 
4/14/2009 Use of Web Tracking Tool Raises Privacy Issue in Britain New York Times Kevin O'Brien A report on the European Commission's threat to take the British government to court for its failure to enforce European law. 
4/14/2009 Privacy firm drops advisory work BBC News   The UK privacy consultancy 80/20 will discontinue its advisory work due to its founders' involvement in the advocacy group Privacy International.
4/14/2009 EU starts action against Britain over data privacy Reuters Huw Jones The European Commission is taking legal action against Britain for its application of certain EU rules on privacy and electronic communications.
4/12/2009 Google Street View does not breach privacy laws Guardian Jamie Doward The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has again deemed that Google's Street View application does not breach personal privacy.
4/10/2009 Tiny storage devices pose biggest data security risk The Irish Times Karlin Lillington USB drives are cheaper and hold more data than ever. iPods and digital cameras are ubiquitous. As a result, it's increasingly difficult for companies to secure their data.
4/9/2009 Builders' blacklist triggers data protection clampdown Information World Archana Venkatraman Industry experts hope that the Information Commissioner's recent action on a consultant who collected and sold the personal information of thousands will trigger organisations to shore up their compliance with data protection laws.
4/9/2009 UK gov delays new data breach powers The Register Chris Williams The March target for publishing legislation to give the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) more regulatory powers has passed.
4/9/2009 Panel says WADA whereabouts rule breaks EU laws Reuters Darren Ennis A European Union panel will release its legal opinion on anti-doping rules that require Olympic-level athletes to disclose their locations every day
4/9/2009 Google streetview creator on privacy issues Times Online Mike Harvey Google is determined to continue rollout of its Street View service despite the protests, the human chain and the formal complaints that accompanied its introduction in Britain last month.
4/9/2009 e-Crime Congress Survey Reveals Jail Sentence for a CEO a Fitting Punishment for Data Breach CSO   A survey of more than 100 IT security professionals at the eCrime Congress in London last month revealed that 66 percent feel that C-level executives and boards should be held responsible in the event of a data breach.
4/8/2009 Google using IP addresses to localise search Out-Law   Google will refine its search results using information gleaned from users' IP addresses.
4/7/2009 Phorm eyes launch after hard year BBC News Daren Watters Phorm says it will move ahead with plans to launch its online advertising service.
4/7/2009 EU Parliament Considers Requiring User Consent for Cookies ClickZ Jack Marshall Members of the European Parliament (MEP) are considering an ePrivacy Directive amendment aimed at giving Internet users more control over firms' tracking of their online activities.
4/6/2009 German discount chain Lidl fires domestic boss DW-World.de   The head of domestic operations at German supermarket chain Lidl has been fired for his part in violating German data protection laws.
4/5/2009 Internet records to be stored for a year Telegraph David Barrett The Internet and e-mail habits of Britons will be stored for a period of 12-months under a European Union directive that goes into effect. 
4/3/2009 Watch out Broughton! Street View fans plan to descend on 'privacy' village for photo fest Mail Online Andy Dolan and Eddie Wrenn Neighbors in a Cambridgeshire village formed a human chain around a Google Street View car, prompting the driver's hasty retreat and a fresh round of debate about the company's online mapping service.
4/2/2009 Study challenges BT claims of "anonymous' data The Guardian Wendy Davis University of Cambridge researchers this week unveiled the results of a project showing how Facebook public profiles could be used to find personal information, opening users' to potential misuse by marketers or fraudsters.
4/2/2009 Privacy groups oppose advert targeting Computer Weekly Warwick Ashford A survey of 1,000 British consumers has revealed that 45 percent are open to targeted advertising as long as they have the choice to opt-out.
4/1/2009 EC publishes Q&A on overseas data transfer The Register   The European Commission has published a Q&A on overseas data transfers.
3/31/2009 Online advertisers face tighter EU privacy laws Guardian  Ian Traynor At a meeting in Brussels, the European commissioner for consumer affairs said that Web users' rights are being abused by those who seek to profit on their data.
3/30/2009 Patients' GP notes found in car EDP24 Shanu Lowthorpe A man looking to purchase a used car found the sensitive medical notes of nearly 40 patients alongside the driver's seat.
3/30/2009 Bahn Boss Mehdorn Offers Resignation Amid Data Privacy Scandal DW-World   Deutsche Bahn boss Hartmut Mehdorn has resigned, reports Deutsche Welle. 
3/29/2009 E.U. Warns Internet Companies on User Privacy New York Times Stephen Castle The European Commission's consumer affairs chief will challenge Internet companies to agree on new privacy principles, or else.
3/28/2009 DNA scan 'could cut cost of insurance - even if results kept secret Times Online Mark Henderson An insurance industry official has suggested that premiums could be lowered for customers who undergo personal DNA scans.
3/27/2009 Web Giants Mull Response to Behavioral Privacy Concerns ClickZ Jack Marshall The UK-based Open Rights Group (ORG) earlier this week sent a letter to Google, AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo and other major online players urging them to prevent the tracking of their users' interactions by the behavioral targeting firm Phorm.
3/26/2009 Daily Digest 26 March ENN Bryan Collins Despite vast stores of personal data, only about half of Ireland's organisations have formal data retention or destruction policies.
3/25/2009 Google lawyers seek transfer of ilan privacy trial IDG News Philip Willan In an Italian court Google lawyers argued that the defamation and invasion of privacy case against four of the company's executives should be heard in Turin, rather than Milan, because the video at the heart of the case was recorded there.
3/25/2009 UK must pry on data to block threats: ex-spy boss Reuters William Maclean In a paper for the Institute of Public Policy Research, a former British security chief says surveillance is necessary to prevent terrorism.
3/25/2009 Facebook, Bebo and MySpace 'to be monitored by security services' Times Online Murad Ahmed Home Office ministers revealed yesterday that social networking data might be included in the government's Intercept Modernisation Programme (IMP).
3/24/2009 Call to 'shut down' Street View BBC News   Privacy International (PI) has filed a formal complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) about Google's Street View mapping service, which launched in Great Britain last week.
3/24/2009 London health authority put on notice over data breach The Register John Leyden The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued an enforcement order to an NHS organisation for violating the Data Protection Act.
3/24/2009 Controversial ContactPoint database dalayed again amid new security fears Telegraph Heidi Blake The discovery of security gaps in a database housing the personal information of every child in England has delayed its implementation.
3/23/2009 Should ICO get spot check powers over businesses? IT Pro Nicole Kobie In its review of proposed data protection changes within the Justice and Coroners Bill, the Joint Committee on Human Rights deemed that the Information Commissioner should have the power to spot check private businesses.
3/23/2009 Swiss Banks and the End to Privacy Wall Street Journal   What was once considered a right to privacy seems to be transforming into a duty to disclose. 
3/23/2009 Call to scrap 'illegal databases' BBC News   A new report says that one quarter of Britain's government databases are illegal and should be scrapped or redesigned.
3/22/2009 Google Street View forced to remove images The Independent Jane Merrick Google launched its Street View mapping service in the UK last week and has had hundreds of take-down requests since.
3/20/2009 Privacy campaigner vows legal challenge to Google Street View The Register Out-Law.com A privacy campaigner intends to pursue a legal challenge against Google's Street View service.
3/19/2009 Google launches Street View in UK Guardian  Richard Wray Google has launched its Street View mapping service in 25 British cities.
3/18/2009 Government data-sharing proposals dropped vnunet.com Tom Young The government has dropped its plans to share widely the  data contained in a government database.
3/18/2009 Judge Rules Google Trial Will Move Forward IAPP   The criminal trial against four Google executives accused of defamation and privacy law violations resumed yesterday in a Milan court. 
3/17/2009 Italian judge dismisses initial Google defense argument The Industry Standard Philip Willan An Italian judge has dismissed Google's claim that the plaintiff in a defamation and invasion of privacy case against the company did not have a valid mandate to bring the case forward.
3/16/2009 Administrative Court: Data retention is "invalid" Stoppt die Vorratsdatenspeicherung!   The Administrative Court of Wiesbaden has ruled that blanket retention of citizens' data violates their privacy. 
3/16/2009 Hotline allows workers to find out if they were blacklisted on secret database Guardian  Rob Evans The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has established a hotline for workers who suspect they were blacklisted from employment as a result of data protection law violations
3/16/2009 Google lawyers seek to halt Italy trial Times Online Richard Owen Prosecutors resume their case against four Google executives in the Court of Milan.
3/16/2009 CCTV effect:  No place to hide The Times of India Mansi Choksi & Chinmayi Shalya India is the latest country to debate the prevalence of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for crime prevention. 
3/13/2009 Switzerland to relax banking secrecy laws Telegraph Abigail Townsend The Swiss government has agreed to adopt Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards and to co-operate with countries investigating tax evasion on a case-by-case basis.
3/13/2009 European Parliament reaches good balance between data protection  & transparency Public Technology   European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx is satisfied with the European Parliament's handling of transparency and data protection considerations.
3/13/2009 Online privacy demanded by web founders Telegraph Matt Warman The creator of the World Wide Web has come out against behavioural advertising.
3/12/2009 Liechtenstein  eases bank secrecy aimed crackdown Reuters Jason Rhodes Liechtenstein will ease its bank secrecy law and commit to international standards on tax transparency and data exchange.
3/10/2009 UK gov gets twitchy on Google feature creep The Register Bill Ray Four Members of Parliament (MPs) signed an Early Day Motion on Tuesday regarding Google's Latitude service.
3/9/2009 Swoop on builders database shows privacy watchdog does have teeth ComputerWeekly Warwick Ashford The Information Commissioner's recent shutdown of a database used for blacklisting construction industry employees shows that the privacy regulator has teeth and is willing to use them.
3/9/2009 ICO vows prosecution over builders' blacklist Out-Law.com   The Information Commissioner's Office has issued an enforcement notice to the construction industry consultant responsible for selling the personal information of more than 3,000 workers without their consent.
3/9/2009 Google Docs suffers privacy glitch Cnet Stephen Shankland A privacy glitch caused some Google Docs users to inadvertently share a small number of documents.
3/9/2009 Data sharing clause 152 dropped E-Health Insider Fiona Barr E-Health Insider reports that the government will not enable the sharing of personal data across departments, as planned. 
3/8/2009 Swiss, Luxembourg, Austria defend bank secrecy Reuters Michele Sinner Switzerland, Luxembourg and Austria stand united on protecting their banking secrecy tradition.
3/6/2009 EC expects legal issues around Phorm to be resolved ZDNet Tom Espiner The European Commission (EC) will likely give the go-ahead to Phorm.
3/6/2009 Europeans push for more online rights to privacy Macworld Paul Meller Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) yesterday debated a report that calls for a better balance between the need for security and the right to privacy on the Internet.
3/6/2009 Firm 'sold workers' secret data BBC News   The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will prosecute a company for its part in a widespread pre-employment screening scheme that led to the blacklisting of certain workers.
3/5/2009 Identity in a crisis SiliconRepublic Marie Boran Officials are urging job seekers to be mindful of the information they include on resumes and to be discerning about where they post them in order to prevent identity theft.
3/5/2009 Organ transplantation and the data protection issue Sofia Echo Clive Leiviev-Sawyer European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx has recommended a greater emphasis on the protection of organ donors' and recipients' personal information.
3/4/2009 Rights:  Spain Disconnecting Pre-Paid Phones in November Unless Users Identify Themselves Gizmodo Jesus Diaz The Spanish government will in November disconnect the pre-paid phones of users who fail to register their personal information with the line.
3/4/2009 Web advertisers seek to avoid tougher rules Financial Times Tim Bradshaw The UK Internet Advertising Bureau--a consortium of players in the British advertising industry--has drawn up self-regulatory guidelines on behavioural targeting.
3/3/2009 Local authorities must change privacy practices for children, says report Out-Law   The group Action on Rights for Children (ARCH) has produced a report urging local English authorities to change their rules regarding the collection of children's information.
3/3/2009 EU nations oppose extension of data breach notification law Out-Law   The EU Council of Ministers opposes Parliamentary plans to extend data breach notification requirements beyond telecom companies.
3/1/2009 Health records of Brown and Salmond 'hacked' Scotland on Sunday David Leask British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and First Minister Alex Salmond are among other well-known Scots whose medical files have been breached by health workers.
2/27/2009 Parents urged to guard children's data Times Online Alexandra Frean England's Independent Schools Council (ISC) is encouraging its member schools to educate parents on ContactPoint, the new government database housing private information on the 11 million English children under the age of 18.
2/27/2009 Information Commissioner Richard Thomas warns of surveillance culture Times Online Alexi Mostrous and Richard Ford  Information Commissioner Richard Thomas says that "creeping surveillance" is undermining democracy. 
2/26/2009 Tax crack-down divides EU European Voice Jim Brunsden Austria and Luxembourg stand united in their resistance to release the names of bank account-holders.
2/25/2009 Fight against terror 'spells end of privacy' The Guardian Alan Travis In a research paper for the Institute for Public Policy, former Whitehall security and intelligence coordinator Sir David Omand concedes that there are privacy costs in the government's plans to mine the personal data of innocent citizens, but that the proposed measures are essential to  its national security strategy.
2/24/2009 Privacy watchdogs repeat call for data breach notification law Out-Law   In a revised opinion on changes to the EU Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive, the Article 29 Working Party has again called for widespread data breach notifications.
2/19/2009 US takes Swiss bank UBS to court for 52,000 more names GenevaLunch Ellen Wallace A day after UBS, Switzerland's largest bank, agreed to turn over the names of hundreds of its American clients to U.S. officials, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it will take the bank to court in an effort to get more names of clients suspected of tax evasion.
2/19/2009 A Swiss Bank Is Set to Open Its Secret Files New York Times   The UBS decision to release the names of certain American clients, in breach of the Swiss banking secrecy tradition, in order to end a tax probe by U.S. authorities.
2/18/2009 Fear over blanket CCTV at pubs Morning Advertiser John Harrington Officials in some areas are basing pub license approvals on the owner's willingness to install closed circuit television (CCTV) and release footage to police upon request.
2/18/2009 Google sued in Italy over uploaded video content USA Today Eric Lyman Legal proceedings in the case against Google executives continued yesterday, with Judge Oscar Magi determining that the case, and three secondary claims, should be heard.
2/17/2009 Why security breach notification laws are a good thing Out-Law Bruce Schneier Bruce Schneier believes that data breach notification laws force companies to improve their security.
2/13/2009 Deutsche Bahn shaken by spying scandal BBC News Tristana Moore Berlin's data protection commissioner is among those looking into Deutsche Bahn's use of covert surveillance in the workplace.
2/12/2009 EU presses UK over online advertising system Webwereld Jeremy Kirk The European Commission is warning officials in the UK that it is thus far unsatisfied by response to inquiries related to the privacy implications of Webwise, a behavioral targeting platform developed by technology concern Phorm and scheduled to be launched by British Telecom by the end of the year.
2/12/2009 BT will launch Phorm by end of 2009 CIO UK Carrie-Ann Skinner In spite of the outcry from privacy advocates and the public, British Telecommunications announced it plans to launch the controversial behavioral targeting platform Phorm by the end of the year. 
2/12/2009 Commission dismantles data watchdog group European Voice Judith Crosbie The EU Privacy Commission has dismantled a panel of five privacy experts established to review European data protection legislation following complaints by the French that the group represented "American interests."
2/11/2009 Half of people do not understand online forms Telegraph Christopher Hope Citing a recent survey, Britain's privacy watchdog, Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, says that nearly three-quarters of the country's citizens do not understand the privacy implications of forms they fill out that may give organizations the right to sell or trade their personal information. 
2/10/2009 Deutsche Bahn Spying Scandal Grows DW World   In the wake of the workplace surveillance scandal at Deutsche Bahn, some are calling for CEO Hartmut Mehdorn's removal.
2/10/2009 EU court throws out challenge to anti-terror rule Associated Press   The European Union Court of Justice on Tuesday dismissed as unfounded challenges by Ireland and Slovakia to an anti-terror law requiring that governments retain telephone and Internet data for a period of six months. 
2/9/2009 Jobseekers targeted in 'data theft' scams The Irish Times Elaine Edwards Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes is warning job seekers to be on the alert for scam artists attempting to use the promise of employment to trick individuals into disclosing personal information. 
2/9/2009 MPs confirm new Information Commissioner Out-Law   The House of Commons Justice Committee has given its approval for Information Commissioner nominee Christopher Graham, clearing the way for his full approval by Parliament. 
2/8/2009 UK citizens private information being lost at record rate Times Online Alexi Mosterous Information Commissioner Richard Thomas reported that personal information loss in the UK rose an alarming 36 percent in 2008 and that more than 100 breach incidents had been reported to the Information Commissioner's Office in the last three months alone. 
2/8/2009 Government comiling travel details The Press Association   The British government is in the process of building a massive database to compile and process the travel records of millions of its citizens.
2/6/2009 Tension between right to privacy and authorities' desire for data Guardian Afua Hirsch According to a report issued today in the United Kingdom, there is a growing tension between the government's desire to collect more information and the country's efforts to collect and analyze information that is "weaken[ing] the constitutional foundations on which democracy and good governance have traditionally been based in this country."
2/5/2009 DPA Issues Fine for YouTube Video Spanish Data Protection Agency   In the wake of recent media reports surrounding a video uploaded to YouTube's Italian site, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) on Wednesday took enforcement action against those responsible for uploading a video clip on the Spanish site, and declared that publishing the image of a person on YouTube without that person's consent is a grave violation of the Organic Law on Data Protection (LOPD). 
2/4/2009 ICO helps organisations identify 'personal data' Out-Law   The Information Commissioner's Office has released a technical guide to help organisations comply with the Data Protection Act.
2/3/2009 EU security agency draws 'privacy baseline' for ID cards The Register John Leyden The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) yesterday released a position paper intended to raise awareness on the need to protect the privacy of data contained on national ID cards.
2/3/2009 Additional Claim Filed Against Google IAPP Tracey Bentley The Italian judge hearing the case against four Google executives suspended a decision in today's Criminal Court of Milan proceedings in order to consider certain procedural issues. 
2/2/2009 Privacy professional facing criminal charges IAPP Tracey Bentley Google's global privacy counsel will appear in Italian court this week on criminal charges of defamation and failure to exercise control over personal data. 
1/30/2009 Bosses sign pledge to protect personal data ZDNet   Several public-sector organisations and private companies have signed onto the Information Commissioner's 10-point Personal Information Promise.
1/29/2009 Commission for Personal Data Protection fines CEZ 100 000 leva SofiaEcho Rene Beekman Bulgaria's Commission for Personal Data Protection (CPDP) has fined electricity distribution company CEZ for continued breaches of privacy protection regulations.
1/29/2009 Eu mulls new data protection initiatives EurActiv.com   At a European Parliament conference celebrating Data Privacy Day yesterday, EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Jacques Barrot said that Brussels will launch a Europe-wide public consultation on how to reinforce data protection by April.
1/29/2009 All data breaches must be made public ZDNet Peter Hustinx European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx says that selectivity when it comes to mandatory breach notifications is a no-win. 
1/27/2009 EU warns on Facebook privacy International Herald Tribune James Kanter European Commission officials say young people should have a greater awareness about data privacy and privacy risks.
1/27/2009 Alarm over security of children's database Times Online Rosemary Bennett, Alexandra Frean By government ministers' estimates, about 390,000 people will have access to the new national database, ContactPoint, which will house the personal information of all English children under the age of 18.
1/23/2009 U.K. Orders ISPs to Archive Private E-mail Records Information Week K.C. Jones Starting March 15, British Internet service providers (ISPs) will hoard citizens' e-mail traffic.
1/22/2009 Home Office guilty of data breach BBC News   The Home Office has entered into an agreement with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to better protect the personal information it holds on Britons.
1/21/2009 Legal Eye:  Does Home Office online surveillance go too far? Silicon.com Ruth Hoy Warrantless searching of personal computers by police is already allowed under Britain's Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, but the recent Home Office announcement that it will align with EU plans to allow such searches and increase data sharing and access between European police forces has some questioning the potential pitfalls. 
1/18/2009 Internet privacy: Government warns email providers over targeted online advertising Telegraph David Barrett Concerns about intrusions on privacy have prompted Home Office ministers and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) to meet with industry leaders about the use of technologies that help advertisers discover users' interests through their e-mail text and search engine queries.
1/18/2009 Swiss to hand over data to end UBS tax case-report Reuters Lisa Jucca In an about-face, the Swiss government has decided to release certain data on American UBS clients, in breach of its own bank secrecy laws, in order to end a tax probe by U.S. authorities
1/16/2009 Government data sharing plan could extend to private sector OUT-LAW.com   Proposed amendments to the 1998 Data Protection Act (DPA) would give government officials the authority to share information collected on citizens with private-sector organisations.
1/13/2009 ASA's Christopher Graham set to become information commissioner Guardian Mark Sweney Pending House of Commons approval, Christopher Graham will become the UK's next information commissioner.
1/13/2009 Privacy safeguards need to be strengthened says European Data Protection Supervisor PublicTechnology.net   European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx on Friday adopted an opinion on the ePrivacy Directive, currently under review, that includes recommendations for streamlining provisions.
1/13/2009 Don't sleepwalk into Big Brother Surveillance Schools Warned The Hearld Stephen Naysmith A paper by university researchers says that the use of biometric technologies in Scottish schools won't go away, and that education officials should incorporate topics related to the use of such technologies into curricula.
1/12/2009 Data protection is as important as crime for nine out of 10 people, survey finds Telegraph Christopher Hope Nine out of 10 people feel data protection is as important as crime.
1/12/2009 Privacy watchdog warns companies on self-serving privacy policies OUT-LAW.com   The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has published a code of practice on creating privacy policies. 
1/10/2009 High Court dismisses company's challenge to stop data prosecution Irish Times Ray Managh Ireland's High Court last week threw out a legal challenge involving the Data Protection Commissioner's ability to prosecute some involved in electronic marketing campaigns.
1/10/2009 HSE to investigative discovery of hospital files on Derry street Irish Times FIONA GARTLAND and GEORGE JACKSON Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner will investigate how the medical records of Letterkenny General Hospital patients wound up in a Derry alleyway.
1/9/2009 Security probe after data breach at prison lep.co.uk Aasma Day A USB stick containing the personal details of thousands of prisoners is missing.
1/9/2009 A warrantless abuse of privacy Irish Times Karlin Lillington Karlin Lillington says Irish citizens should be "worried--very worried" about recent developments affecting the privacy of UK citizens. 
1/8/2009 BSI proposes new data protection standard Computing Phil Muncaster BSI British Standards is inviting public comment on a new draft standard that the body hopes will help firms comply with the Data Protection Act. 
1/8/2009 Email law 'an attack on privacy' Press Association   While privacy regulators and advocates continue to lobby Internet service providers (ISPs) for shorter data retention periods, law enforcement and some governments want them extended. 
1/5/2009 Police 'encouraged' to hack more BBC News Flora Graham The Home Office has agreed to an EU plan that encourages police to remotely access personal computers, no warrant necessary, in an effort to detect cybercrime.
12/31/2008 Private firm may track all emails and calls Guardian Alan Travis & Richard Norton-Taylor The private sector will manage the proposed new communications superdatabase that will track the calls, e-mails and Internet activities of UK citizens.
12/29/2008 Data Protection Authority approves smart card Dutch News Jacob Kohnstamm After three years of denials, the Netherlands' Data Protection Authority has given approval to a digital transit smart card for use by Rotterdam Metro. 
12/29/2008 Google Street View 'to be launched in Britain in spring' The Telegraph Jon Swaine Google's controversial "Street View" service, which provides a 360-degree street level view of cities around the globe, is set to launch in the U.K. this coming spring when London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham are added to the list.
12/29/2008 Big Brother CCTV (complete with CPS evidence kit) to spy on pupils aged four - complete with CPS kit dailymail.co.uk Jason Lewis A classroom-monitoring CCTV system, sold in the U.K. along with evidence bags approved by the Crown Prosecution Service, is being marketed as a deterrent to disruptive and violent behavior by students as young as age four. 
12/28/2008 Official raises doubts over data privacy in Germany The Local   A number of privacy breaches and scandals affecting Germany and its citizens has prompted that country's commissioner for data protection.
12/26/2008 European Union voices concern over inadequacy of privacy bill Today's Zaman ERCAN YAVUZ  ANKARA A European Union official says the Turkish government's data protection bill needs revision before being passed.
12/23/2008 New mandates for EDPS: Peter Hustinx reappointed as Supervisor, Giovanni Buttarelli appointed as Assistant Supervisor 7th Space Interactive   The European Parliament and the Council have reappointed Peter Hustinx as European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). 
12/22/2008 Father Christmas arrested The Spoof   Father Christmas has been arrested and arraigned on a contravention of the UK Data Protection Act.
12/22/2008 Spammers will face fines up to 250,000 SiliconRepublic.com John Kennedy The Irish government has passed legislation aimed at reducing spam and other unsolicited emails.
12/18/2008 Bringing CCTV under control The Connexion   A report from the French Senate recommends placing all of the nation's closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) under the control of the data protection authority.
12/17/2008 European Union, IT & Telecoms, Moving SWIFTly On To Data Protection Mondaq David Flint and Valerie Surgenor Last week, the Belgian Privacy Commission published a decision on whether the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) violated data protection laws when it shared financial data with the U.S. without notifying clients. 
12/17/2008 Gov't says its data security policy has made 'staggering progress' CIO Leo King The UK government says it has made much progress on improving public-sector data protection.
12/14/2008 Swedish watchdog eyes Web site naming rapists Associated Press   Swedish officials are investigating whether a Web site used to publish the names of convicted sex offenders is operating in breach of that country's privacy laws.  
12/13/2008 Berlin Bank Accused of Country's Largest Data Leak DW-World.de DW Staff The personal information of thousands of Landesbank Berlin (LBB) credit card holders has been exposed
12/10/2008 Bailiff admits to privacy blunder BBC News   The Marston Group has apologized for accidentally releasing hundreds of e-mail addresses.
12/9/2008 Microsoft Search Pledge Meaningless Without Google Information Week Paul McDougall So far, Google and Yahoo haven't budged on reducing their data retention terms for European Internet searches.
12/9/2008 EU to spend 55 million euros to make web safer for children The Earth Times   The European Union will spend 55 million euros on boosting children's online safety over the next five years.
12/8/2008 Microsoft offers to reduce search data in Europe New York Times Kevin J. O'Brien In a letter to the Article 29 Working Party, Microsoft said it will reduce the length of time it retains users' search records if Yahoo and Google agree to do the same.
12/8/2008 21 million German bank accounts for sale IT World Robert McMillan The details of 21 million German bank accounts are for sale on the black market.
12/8/2008 Memory stick with data on 5,000 Leeds children found in second-hand car Yorkshire Evening Post Katie Baldwin and Ian Rosser A Leeds man cleaning out a second-hand car he purchased discovered a memory stick containing the personal information of children.
12/5/2008 UK data breach notification laws? iWR Blog Phil Muncaster Phil Muncaster ponders last month's Ministry of Justice determination that the UK does not need a mandatory data breach notification law for the private sector.
12/4/2008 Intel, Google Asked to Help Revise EU Data Protection Laws PC World Paul Meller A panel established to help the European Commission (EC) revise EU data protection laws met for the first time yesterday.
12/4/2008 War on terror violates privacy UPI.com United Press The Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights said the war on terror violates basic privacy rights and undermines rather than improves security.
12/4/2008 U.K. DNA Database Violates Privacy Rights, Court Says  Bloomberg.com Heather Smith and Thomas Penny The European Court of Human Rights today ruled that the world's biggest DNA database violates privacy rights and must be modified.
12/3/2008 Demand grows for European data loss laws Information World Review Tracey Caldwell Some say amendments to the European Union (EU) e-privacy directive requiring new data breach notification measures need to be expanded.
12/2/2008 EDPS opinion on patients' rights: specific data protection dimension of cross-border health care needs to be addressed in more correct terms 7th Space Interactive   European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx said more concrete data protection and privacy provisions need to be included in the proposal for a patients' rights Directive pertaining to cross-border healthcare. 
12/1/2008 Technology and Privacy computing.co.uk Tom Young The Information Commissioner published a report calling for "privacy by design"--building privacy guards into new information systems during the development stage to help protect data and prevent privacy breaches. 
11/26/2008 ICO launches new privacy report vnunet.com Phil Muncaster A report published last week aims to help organisations better protect the private data they hold.
11/25/2008 The UK does not need a data breach notification law, says Government out-law.com   In a report released Tuesday, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said that a law requiring organisations to report significant security breaches to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is not necessary. 
11/25/2008 End of junk mail? Ministers planning to ban sale of addresses on electoral register dailymail.co.uk James Slack The results of a recent inquiry have ministers considering a ban on the sale of electoral register data.
11/24/2008 Straw agrees to give teeth to the UK's data watchdog Times Online Jenny Booth Justice Minister Jack Straw yesterday announced new powers for Information Commissioner Richard Thomas.
11/20/2008 France drops security database over privacy fears International Herald Tribune Associated Press The French prime minister has issued a decree to scrap a proposed database that would have tracked citizens, including minors. 
11/20/2008 Google's privacy protections International Herald Tribune Peter Fleischer Paris Google's global privacy counsel responds to criticism published in an article earlier this week about the company's Street View application. 
11/18/2008 Businesses could be fined 10% of revenues for data protection breaches Information Age   Organisations that breach the Data Protection Act could face fines up to 10 percent of their revenue if the Information Commissioner's plans come to fruition. 
11/17/2008 Privacy Laws Trip Up Google in Parts of Europe New York Times Kevin J. O'Brien Over the past five years, Google's European expansion has resulted in 3,500 employees in metropolitan centers from Dublin to St. Petersburg. But left unresolved, two sticky issues could diminish the good sentiment such expansion has produced.
11/17/2008 Ministers breach Data Protection Act' Contractor UK   The names of nearly a dozen government ministers have been handed to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) for their failure to list themselves on the Data Protection Register
11/17/2008 Data watchdog:  Access to patient files is unacceptable Telegraph Charlotte Bailey Officials at the Department of Health are considering a government proposal to give medical researchers access to patients' records for the purpose of furthering medical research.
11/14/2008 Deeply disturbing' privacy fears as 1m staff could view child database Mail Online James Slack A database intended to ease data-sharing among public schools in England and Wales is drawing more criticism.
11/13/2008 EU privacy regulator says US must agree to data swap court action out-law.com   European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx has published his opinion on EU-U.S. plans to increase personal data sharing in criminal cases.
11/13/2008 EU wants tougher rules on taxes The Associated Press Raf Casert Account holders at financial institutions across the European Union may find themselves with less financial privacy if the 27-nation bloc approves new rules to stamp out tax evasion.
11/12/2008 Privacy row over putting Dutch medical charts on file Monsters and Critics Rachel Levy Physicians in the Dutch national family doctor association (LHV) are enthusiastic about the health ministry's plans to move all patient records into a central database, but concede that officials might be moving too fast with the project.
11/10/2008 Dutch call for compulsory report on data theft Radio Netherlands Worldwide   Prosecutor Fred Speijers and Data Protection Authority Jacob Kohnstamm say that financial institutions should be obligated to notify clients whose information is compromised in a security breach. 
11/10/2008 Finland's Holmlund calls for privacy cut in gun law NewsRoom Finland   Finland's interior minister Anne Holmlund said today that a reduction in privacy is necessary to prevent crime.
11/10/2008 The End of the Road for Personal Data Protection in the EU Jurist Virginia Keyder Globalization, national security and the 'war on terror' have contributed to a dilution of data protection in the European Union by ushering in an era of increased surveillance, increased data collection and retention and other potentially privacy-diminishing activities. 
11/7/2008 France: two companies fined 15,000 Euros for transmission of ethnic data Data Protection Review CNIL The French data protection authority (CNIL) has fined two companies €15,000 for violating article eight of the informatique et libertes.
11/7/2008 Customers may foot bill for EU data law The Irish Times   Privacy advocates and others are expressing concern about a draft statutory instrument proposed by the Irish government regarding the retention of citizens' phone and Internet activity data. 
11/6/2008 Hustinx:  nameless data can still be personal out-law.com   European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx affirmed his stance that Internet users' IP addresses and server log records should be treated as personal data.
11/5/2008 Government black boxes will 'collect every email' The Independent Robert Verkaik New details emerged on Home Office plans for a giant government database earlier this week.
11/4/2008 A convergence on privacy SC Magazine UK Tim Mather Tim Mather suggests that European and American attitudes towards privacy might be converging. 
11/4/2008 Another data security breach reported at Bank of Ireland SiliconRepublic.com John Kennedy A storage device with the personal information of almost 900 customers has gone missing from the Bank of Ireland.
11/3/2008 PM admits data losses may be inevitable guardian.co.uk Nicholas Watt The government was forced to shut down its Gateway Web site this weekend when a memory stick containing sensitive personal data was found in a car park. 
10/31/2008 Bebo kids will value privacy when they see adults do too Guardian Cory Doctrow Cory Doctorow proposes that today's youth are getting opposing messages on protecting their privacy. 
10/30/2008 EU privacy chiefs update rules for overseas data transfers Out-law.com   European Union data protection authorities have amended the rules for overseas data transfers.
10/29/2008 Biometric database bill passes first vote ynetnews.com Erez Ronen Israelis are a step closer to having their fingerprints registered in a national database.  A bill to create a biometric database passed its first Knesset reading earlier this week. 
10/29/2008 Watchdog: 'No to US-style data laws' SC Magazine Mark Mayne In his keynote address at the RSA Conference in London yesterday, UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said he is not convinced that U.S.-style data breach notification laws are the right model for the UK.
10/29/2008 Multimillion pound boost for privacy watchdog Silicon.com Nick Heath Information Commissioner Richard Thomas will get an extra £6-million and added powers by the end of the year.
10/29/2008 Companies dominate data-failings shame list FT.com Michael Peel and Rachel Keeler After disclosing the numbers on British organisations' loss of personal data over the past year, Information Commissioner Richard Thomas told the Financial Times that he aims to make the prevention of security breaches a board or chief executive-level responsibility. 
10/29/2008 Lives have been put at risk by data losses Telegraph.co.uk Rosa Prince In a speech today, Information Commissioner Richard Thomas will warn chief executives that the mishandling of data must stop.
10/27/2008 European data breach laws could land in 2011 vnunet.com Phil Muncaster At the RSA Conference in London yesterday, European data protection supervisor Peter Hustinx said that new data breach notification laws could go into effect by 2011
10/25/2008 Dutch okay airport naked body scanners MSN News   While Dutch officials have deemed full-body airport security scanners okay for use--with strict guidelines--at Schipol airport, their German counterparts insist that the scanners invade travelers' privacy and will not be used in the country.
10/24/2008 Privacy watchdog calls Home Office plans threat to British way of life Out-law.com   The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it will study the government's plans for a communications database to house citizens' phone and Internet usage records.
10/21/2008 German privacy watchdogs agree social networking ground rules Out-law.com   A panel of German data protection authorities has developed eight principles to help social networking sites comply with data protection law.
10/21/2008 EU lawmakers criticize virtual strip search The Associated Press Paul Ames European Union (EU) lawmakers debated the use of revealing airport security scanners in a parliamentary meeting yesterday
10/19/2008 Social networks offer 'weak' security animohosting.com French Press The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) wants social networking sites to inform its users of the level of protection their profiles receive.
10/19/2008 Passports will be needed to buy mobile phones Times Online Dave Leppard Under a government plan, British citizens who purchase a mobile phone would be required to submit personal information to be stored on the planned national communications database.
10/16/2008 New powers for state snoopers on the net The Guardian Richard Norton-Taylor In a keynote speech before the Institute for Public Policy Research yesterday, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said police and MI5 need enhanced powers to collect and retain data.
10/16/2008 Privacy In The 21st Century Competition-Data Protection Commissioner announces winners Data Protection Commissioner   Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes announced the winners of the "Privacy in the 21st Century" video competition. 
10/14/2008 The Spanish Data Protection Supervisor Launches Children Privacy Handbook Internet Business Law Services El Mundo A new handbook published by the Spanish Data Protection Agency (DPA) aims to help children protect their privacy in the digital age.
10/14/2008 German court says IP addresses in server logs are not personal data Out-law.com   A German court has ruled that IP addresses should not be considered personal data.
10/13/2008 EU keeps pressure on phorm Online Media Daily Wendy Davis Weeks have passed since the UK's Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) cleared Phorm to again begin testing its Webwise platform on British Telecom customers, and EU privacy officials want to know how that department will ensure the protection of citizens' privacy.
10/12/2008 European Court Opinion Due on Phone Details The Post.ie Kieron Wood A decision is expected today from the European Court of Justice on a case related to data retention periods for telecommunications providers
10/11/2008 Some 15,000 in Berlin demonstrate for more privacy The Earth Times DPA At least 15,000 demonstrators from more than 100 groups marched to the Brandenburg Gate on Saturday to protest European Union data retention laws.
10/10/2008 Deutsche Telekom to Tighten Up on Data Privacy DW-World.de DFM Deutsche Telekom officials are hurrying to implement improved data protection standards
10/10/2008 MoD loses hard drive holding military personal data Guardian Elizabeth Stewart The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is investigating the loss of a computer hard drive containing the personal details of about 700,000 people.
10/9/2008 Home Office publishes data-sharing guidance ZDNet   The Home Office has published a code of practice designed to help public authorities protect information.
10/9/2008 Hustinx: Tracking people 'easier' with RFID EurActiv.com   In an interview with EurActiv.com, Europe's data protection supervisor discusses the main privacy challenges of radio frequency identification technology (RFID). 
10/9/2008 Security pros call for data breach regulations ITPro Miya Knights Information security professionals at a conference in Madrid this week expressed support for a proposed data breach notification regulation. 
10/8/2008 The all-seeing state is about to end privacy as we know it Guardian Jenni Russell Jenni Russell reacts to government plans to collect and store in a central database citizens' phone call, Web, text and email activities. 
10/8/2008 Privacy Bill promises protection ITWeb Siyabonga Africa  The South African Law Reform Commission is drafting a bill aimed at protecting consumers' privacy.
10/7/2008 France launches public online consultation on ePrivacy Payment News and Industry Social Networking   The French Internet Rights Forum and the French National Commission for Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) have teamed up to hold online public debates on four privacy-related issues. 
10/7/2008 Internet of Things' prompts EU push for privacy rights EurActiv.com   At a ministerial meeting in Nice yesterday, European officials discussed privacy and security challenges associated with the Internet of the future.
10/6/2008 T-Mobile confesses customer data breach Daily Telecoms News David Masters T-Mobile this weekend revealed that a storage device containing information on 17 million of its German customers was stolen in 2006 and put up for sale on the black market.
10/3/2008 Sahlin calls for privacy ombudsman The Local David Landes Sweden's Social Democratic party leader has called for the establishment of a national privacy ombudsman.
10/2/2008 Sweden condemns surveillance in schools The Local Thomas Morkeberg Swedish officials have ordered changes to seven schools' use of surveillance cameras following an investigation.
9/30/2008 Data breach at Virgin prompts encryption order Silicon.com Jo Best The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has ordered Virgin Media to encrypt all of its portable media.
9/29/2008 BT rolls out Phorm web tracking Times Online Mike Harvey Today marks the beginning of BT's final trial of Phorm's Webwise technology. Webwise allows Internet service providers to tailor advertising to users based on their interests, as determined by the sites they visit. 
9/25/2008 Swedish govt waters down telecoms monitoring law Forbes Niklas Pollard Swedish officials last week amended a law for monitoring cross-border Internet and telephone traffic. 
9/25/2008 Liberal Democrats Broke Privacy Rules With Automated Phone Calls SkyNews   The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has deemed the Liberal Democrats broke privacy rules by sending automated telephone calls to 250,000 citizens last week, and has ordered the party to refrain from further telephone campaigns or face prosecution.
9/24/2008 Public 'must assert' data rights BBC News   The Information Commissioner says that more citizens should take advantage of the privacy protections offered by the Data Protection Act, and should take more control over what personal information businesses and organizations collect about them.
9/23/2008 Plea for robust privacy laws The Press Association   The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) wants tougher privacy laws.
9/22/2008 Phorm given the green light by UK Government Windows Watch Andrea Marie Vassou After two months' deliberation, the British Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has determined that targeted advertising firm Phorm may continue its service, with conditions. 
9/22/2008 European Parliament to Postpone IP Privacy Issue PC World Paul Meller European parliamentarians say more information is necessary before deciding whether IP addresses should be considered private data.
9/19/2008 Data protection watchdogs tohold hearings with Google Out-Law.com   The Article 29 Working Party will lead hearings with Google on its data retention and anonymization practices.
9/18/2008 Watchdog looks into Nick Clegg's calls to voters in marginal seats Guardian Severin Carrell The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is investigating a telephone survey carried out last night by the Liberal Democrats.
9/18/2008 EU data protection head supports police database link-up Network World  Paul Meller Europe's data protection supervisor says that high standards for data protection must be a precondition for launching the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS).
9/17/2008 4 Government Laptops Stolen in Another Data Breach New York Times Reuters Four laptops were stolen from a British government agency.  The computers were taken from the Manchester office of the Insolvency Service, the organization that oversees bankrupt companies.
9/16/2008 European companies forced toown up to data losses PC Pro Barry Collins The EU is considering a directive that would force European companies to notify customers in the event of the loss or theft of their data.
9/15/2008 Fears over privacy as police expand surveillance project The Guardian Paul Lewis The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will investigate the planned five year data-retention period for a national motorist database. 
9/12/2008 UK union urges biometrics boycott ZDNet   Officials from the Unison union have expressed concerns about the use of fingerprint devices to track employee start and finish times.
9/11/2008 EU Appreciates Google's Latest Privacy Step WebProNews.com Doug Caverly Google's recent announcement that it will reduce the amount of time it retains personally identifiable user search data from 18 to nine months is "a good step in the right direction," according to EU officials. 
9/11/2008 Brussels in 'frightening' grab for personal information Telegraph Christopher Hope Statewatch has released a 60-page report on what the group deems to be a "frightening" grab for personal information.
9/10/2008 Consulting firm sacked over data loss Reuters   The Home Office has fired the consulting firm responsible for losing the personal data of 33,000 citizens. 
9/10/2008 Scottish gov't forms data privacy group ZDNet Tom Espiner The Scottish government has created a privacy and security group to study local governments' handling of citizens' personal data.
9/10/2008 MEPs are in danger of striking the wrong balance between the right to privacy and intellectual property The Guardian David Cronin David Cronin says a new proposal by MEPs would be a privacy-eroding addition to the electronic privacy directive created by the European commission.
9/8/2008 French cabinet row over 'Big Sister' database Telegraph Henry Samuel A database system created to store personal details on citizens has created a row in the French cabinet.
9/4/2008 Phorm marks progress towards BT trial Times Online Mike Harvey As U.S.-based ISPs shy away from the use of Web tracking technology due to Congressional scrutiny and consumer unrest, Phorm, the provider of such technology for Internet Service Provider (ISPs), says it will soon begin trialing its Webwise service with Virgin Media and Carphone Warehouse's Talk Talk.
9/2/2008 Study:  88% of IT Pros Would Steal Passwords or Data if Fired Gizmodo   A survey, conducted by security company, Cyber-Ark, asked the IT professionals whether, if fired, they would be inclined to steal sensitive company data or passwords before leaving. 
9/1/2008 Watchdog demands data breach confessions silicon.com Nick Heath As the European Union considers mandatory breach notification regulations, the National Consumer Council (NCC) is lobbying for a UK-wide mandate for reporting losses of personal data 
8/29/2008 ICO urges firms to step up privacy controls Information World Rosalie Marshall The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has tasked Britain's Enterprise Privacy Group (EPG) with delivering an opinion on the practice of "privacy by design," that is, building data protection safeguards into new technology projects.
8/27/2008 New data blunder as details of thousands of council taxpayers are found on 6.99 computer sold on eBay Mail Online Maureen Culley and Vanessa Allen The personal details of thousands of tax payers have been discovered on the hard drive of a computer sold on eBay for £6.99, reports the Mail Online.
8/26/2008 Best Western says data breach even smaller than thought Computerworld Jaikumar Vijayan After investigating a suspected breach of customer reservations data reported earlier this week, the Best Western hotel chain has concluded that the personal information of only 10 guests was exposed in the incident.
8/26/2008 Officials 'back ban on data sale' BBC News   A recent Local Government Association survey of more than 200 English election officials found that almost all of them would like to ban the practice of voter registration rolls being sold to direct mail companies.
8/26/2008 Banking customers' personal details sold on eBay Associated Press Emily Flynn Vencat The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is investigating a data loss event that exposed the banking information of more than one million Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) customers
8/24/2008 Tories call for data loss prosecutions The Guardian Jamie Doward Following another government data loss involving the confidential information of 84,000 thousand citizens, the Tories are calling for loss-of-data events to be deemed criminal offences going forward
8/21/2008 Managing Data Security Breaches itwales.com Liz Fletcher The UK Information Commissioner's Office has published guidelines to help organisations respond appropriately when a data security breach occurs.
8/19/2008 Germans urge tougher laws after new privacy scandal Reuters   The black market for personal data is thriving and German officials have expressed concern about citizens' privacy.
8/18/2008 Privacy regulator plans annual surveillance reports Out-Law News   The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) plans to publish an annual report on surveillance for Parliament
8/18/2008 In the Land of Cheese, Tulips and Biometrics CSO Paul Raines Writing for CSO, Paul Raines describes the growing use of biometrics in the everyday lives of the Dutch as a "quiet revolution." He compares the shift toward biometrics to another convenience-promising event--the U.S. shift toward credit cards during the 1950s and 1960s.
8/18/2008 U.K. justice agency lost 45,000 personal records in past fiscal year Computerworld Leo King In its annual report, the UK Ministry of Justice revealed that the personal data of tens of thousands of individuals was lost during nine separate breaches over the past fiscal year.
8/17/2008 How Big Brother watches your every move The Telegraph Richard Gray In a week's time, more than 3,200 pieces of personal information on the average British citizen is collected and stored by the British government, law enforcement agencies and private companies.
8/15/2008 Liechtenstein to lift some bank secrecy over tax Reuters Emma Thomasson The principality of Liechtenstein will loosen its restrictions on banking secrecy as a result of international pressure.
8/14/2008 Under 'Big Brother Law,' telecom firms would tell all to police Haaretz.com Shahar Ilan Police have been abusing the "Big Brother Law" by forcing telecom companies to give them subscriber information beyond that allowed by law.
8/12/2008 AOL report shows UK Surfers Don't Care About Privacy ITProPortal.com Desire Athow An America Online (AOL) survey has revealed that 89 percent of UK residents have disclosed sensitive financial information online.
8/10/2008 Irish bus pass is 'identity card by stealth' Times Online Colin Coyle Some think the free travel pass to be distributed to more than 640,000 Irish pensioners next year is the first step toward a national identity card.
8/8/2008 Ruling casts doubt over the legality of patient database Healthcare Republic John Elledge Some legal experts say National Health Service officials might have to rethink the system's $6 billion patient database based on a recent European court ruling.
8/7/2008 EU Grants 30 Days To UK Government To Decide Over Phorm SecurityProPortal.com Desire Athow The European Union (EU) wants feedback from the UK government regarding a behavioural tracking application. EU Telecom and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding sent a letter requesting the government's stance on Phorm's Webwise System, which lets Internet Service Providers track users' Web browsing habits so they may target advertising to users based on preferences.
8/1/2008 Framework for Analysis Of Cross-Border Discovery Conflicts  The Sedona Conference   A guide to navigating the competing currents of international data privacy and e-discovery
8/1/2008 Foreign Office reports five data losses this year SC Magazine Joy Persaud The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has had five "significant" data breaches during the last financial year. The exposures involve inadequate laptop protection, unauthorised disclosures, loss of payslips, and improper Web posting of personal information.
7/31/2008 Italy, Labour & Employment, Italy - Supreme Court:  Checking An Absent Employee Mondaq Andrea Gangemi In a December ruling, the Italian Supreme Court determined that an employer who had viewed an absent employee's emails did not invade that employee's privacy despite protections of such incidents in the nation's Privacy Code and Labour Law.
7/31/2008 Landmark Ruling Links Privacy, Human Rights E-Health Europe   In what is expected to become a landmark ruling, a judgment by the European Court of Human Rights explicitly links personal privacy and human rights. The court fined the Finnish government for failing to protect patients' confidentiality. 
7/31/2008 Watchdog clears Google's street cameras The Guardian Bobbie Johnson The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has deemed Google's Street View service permissible. The decision clears the way for the service's UK launch. 
7/30/2008 DNA records 'criminalise people' BBC News   After a four month long inquiry, a citizen's panel has recommended that an independent body control the world's largest police DNA database, rather than the UK government and police.
7/29/2008 Where to draw the line between the right to privacy and the right to know? scotsman.com Stuart Skelly Stuart Skelly believes clashes between the right of the public to access information and the right to privacy of the individual will continue. 
7/28/2008 Thousands of SMEs risk identity theft Times Online   Thousands of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are at risk of corporate identity theft, according the results of a recent survey
7/24/2008 Privacy to the test - Exploring the limits of online anonymity and accountability finchannel.com   The work of three university-level research teams was recognized on Wednesday with 2008 Privacy Enhancing Technology (PET) awards at a symposium in Leuven, Belgium. 
7/22/2008 Police lose right to full records Sky News   The UK Information Tribunal has ruled that police must destroy old conviction data and, going forward, not store data for longer-than-necessary periods. 
7/21/2008 The Naked CIO:  Going public about privacy Silicon.com Naked CIO Silicon.com's "Naked CIO" columnist says our lives would be better if more of our personal information were held by organizations, arguing that customers expect business to know about them. 
7/21/2008 Welsh NHS Trusts admit to over 150 data breaches Computer Weekly Antony Savvas There have been more than 150 data breaches in Wales' public health care system over the last three years 
7/17/2008 Privacy watchdog to get power to raid Silicon.com Nick Heath The UK government is considering expanding the powers of the Information Commissioner. Justice Minister Michael Wills said in a statement: "We believe sharpening the information commissioner's teeth will enable him to be a stronger, more effective regulator." 
7/17/2008 A decade of data confusion Computing  Tom Young Britain's 10-year-old Data Protection Act will come under scrutiny this year, as researchers examine its usefulness in this age of rapid technological development. 
7/16/2008 Privacy watchdogs try to ease data sharing compliance for multinationals Out-law.com   The Article 29 Working Party has developed a toolkit to aid organisations that transfer personal data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). The kit guides companies through the process of developing Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs) to ensure adequate data protection standards for the transfer of personal information outside the EEA, so companies may do so in compliance with EU data protection laws.
7/15/2008 Big Brother' database of all phone calls and emails condemned by watchdog Telegraph.co.uk Christopher Hope The UK Information Commissioner says that government plans to collect and store the communications data of all citizens is a bad idea. The Data Communications Bill, a draft of which will be released later this year, would require Internet service providers and phone companies to hand over communications records to the Home Office for storage.
7/14/2008 Industry rallies behind Thomas to toughen data laws Precision Marketing Sara Kimberley British Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has long been calling for tougher data protection laws.  Now, some in industry are rallying behind him.
7/14/2008 First European Privacy Seal Awarded www.european-privacy-seal.eu Press Release European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx yesterday awarded the first-ever European Privacy Seal for ICT products and IT-based services. Created by EuroPriSe, a consortium of European data protection authorities, the seal guarantees compliance with EU laws and regulations on data security and privacy. 
7/11/2008 Liechtenstein, Offshore, International Standards And Protection of Privacy Mondaq   Lichtenstein's parliament has modernized its foundation law to bring it up to current international standards, while still providing strong protection of the private sphere. The new law goes into effect on April 1, 2009. 
7/10/2008 Gov't data retention - how much is too much? Silicon.com Nick Heath Merlin Hay, Earl of Erroll, has warned the government against the unnecessary collection and retention of data under provisions of the UK's proposed Communications Data Bill. 
7/10/2008 Gov't data retention - how much is too much? Silicon.com Nick Heath Merlin Hay, Earl of Erroll, has warned the government against the unnecessary collection and retention of data under provisions of the UK's proposed Communications Data Bill. 
7/9/2008 Lords overrule courts, criticise Scottish Information Commissioner Out-law.com   The House of Lords has overruled the Scottish Information Commissioner's decision to allow the release of anonymized regional medical statistics, saying the data were still private and thus covered under the UK's Data Protection Act.
7/9/2008 Lords overrule courts, criticise Scottish Information Commissioner Out-law.com   The House of Lords has overruled the Scottish Information Commissioner's decision to allow the release of anonymized regional medical statistics, saying the data were still private and thus covered under the UK's Data Protection Act.
7/7/2008 Remote Patient Monitoring Market On Rise eHealthEurope.net   A new market assessment by analysts Frost & Sullivan says that a growing market in the U.K. for remote patient monitoring may put patient privacy at greater risk. While the cost advantages inherent with remote patient monitoring may be attractive to many hospitals, the report says that issues of patient privacy and confidentiality are complicating the market.
7/7/2008 Europe data protection laws not fit for purpose, says ICO Computerworld Staff Writer The UK's Information Commissioner's Office has called for a review of European data protection law, charging that, as currently constituted, the legal framework does not function as originally intended.
7/7/2008 Remote Patient Monitoring Market On Rise eHealthEurope.net   A new market assessment by analysts Frost & Sullivan says that a growing market in the U.K. for remote patient monitoring may put patient privacy at greater risk. While the cost advantages inherent with remote patient monitoring may be attractive to many hospitals, the report says that issues of patient privacy and confidentiality are complicating the market.
7/7/2008 Europe data protection laws not fit for purpose, says ICO Computerworld Staff Writer The UK's Information Commissioner's Office has called for a review of European data protection law, charging that, as currently constituted, the legal framework does not function as originally intended.
7/5/2008 Irish watchdog slams ruling over YouTube Herald.ie Fiachra O'Cionnaith In the wake of a court order requiring Google to produce user names and Internet protocol addresses for Viacom in that company's case against YouTube for copyright infringement, Ireland's Data Commissioner Billy Hawkes has issued a statement critical of the decision. Saying that the court's ruling proves there is no such thing as online privacy, the Evening Herald reported that Hawkes warned, "As users, we must take responsibility to use the tools available to us to guard our privacy. This includes availing of the option to delete your search history on search engines and, indeed, the history of videos viewed on websites such as YouTube."
7/5/2008 Irish watchdog slams ruling over YouTube Herald.ie Fiachra O'Cionnaith In the wake of a court order requiring Google to produce user names and Internet protocol addresses for Viacom in that company's case against YouTube for copyright infringement, Ireland's Data Commissioner Billy Hawkes has issued a statement critical of the decision. Saying that the court's ruling proves there is no such thing as online privacy, the Evening Herald reported that Hawkes warned, "As users, we must take responsibility to use the tools available to us to guard our privacy. This includes availing of the option to delete your search history on search engines and, indeed, the history of videos viewed on websites such as YouTube."
7/3/2008 ICO: Data breach law moves closer Silicon.com Nick Heath UK's privacy watchdog says a revision to the European Union's (EU) ePrivacy Directive could bring the UK closer to getting a data breach notification law  on the books.
7/3/2008 ICO: Data breach law moves closer Silicon.com Nick Heath UK's privacy watchdog says a revision to the European Union's (EU) ePrivacy Directive could bring the UK closer to getting a data breach notification law  on the books.
7/2/2008 Phonetaps 'breached privacy law' BBC News   Three organisations recently won their case against the British government for the monitoring of communications between Ireland and the UK, says a BBC News report. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Liberty and British-Irish Rights Watch won their claim that the surveillance violated privacy law. 
7/2/2008 Phonetaps 'breached privacy law' BBC News   Three organisations recently won their case against the British government for the monitoring of communications between Ireland and the UK, says a BBC News report. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Liberty and British-Irish Rights Watch won their claim that the surveillance violated privacy law. 
7/1/2008 European Lawmaker To Sue U.S. Over Data Washington Post.com Ellen Nakashima As the U.S. and European Union (EU) work to finalize an agreement on transatlantic data-sharing, one EU lawmaker is suing the U.S. government for access to her personal records. The Electronic Frontier Foundation filed the suit on behalf of Sophie In't Veld, a member of the Dutch parliament who travels to the U.S. frequently.
7/1/2008 European Lawmaker To Sue U.S. Over Data Washington Post.com Ellen Nakashima As the U.S. and European Union (EU) work to finalize an agreement on transatlantic data-sharing, one EU lawmaker is suing the U.S. government for access to her personal records. The Electronic Frontier Foundation filed the suit on behalf of Sophie In't Veld, a member of the Dutch parliament who travels to the U.S. frequently.
6/30/2008 Swiss data protection commissioner warns of security breaches swissinfo.ch   In his annual report, Switzerland's data protection and information commissioner warned that new technologies are making Swiss citizens more vulnerable to invasions of privacy.
6/30/2008 Swiss data protection commissioner warns of security breaches swissinfo.ch   In his annual report, Switzerland's data protection and information commissioner warned that new technologies are making Swiss citizens more vulnerable to invasions of privacy.
6/28/2008 U.S. and Europe Near Accord on Privacy New York Times Charlie Savage After 16 months of negotiations, American and European Union officials are near agreement on a pact to enable the transfer of citizens' personal information across borders. The pact, once implemented, would allow law enforcement and security agencies to collect citizens' credit card transactions, travel histories, Internet browsing habits and other personal information in an effort to counter terrorism activities.
6/28/2008 U.S. and Europe Near Accord on Privacy New York Times Charlie Savage After 16 months of negotiations, American and European Union officials are near agreement on a pact to enable the transfer of citizens' personal information across borders. The pact, once implemented, would allow law enforcement and security agencies to collect citizens' credit card transactions, travel histories, Internet browsing habits and other personal information in an effort to counter terrorism activities.
6/26/2008 Mandatory data training for civil servants trainingzone.co.uk   All British civil servants who handle personal data as part of their job requirements will undergo mandatory, annual training per the recommendations of Sir Gus O'Donnell, whose recent review of the government's information security practices revealed gross negligence in the area of data protection. 
6/26/2008 Audit chiefs still lax on data privacy Director of Finance Online Adrie van der Luijt    The results of an Ernst & Young survey show that IT fraud and data privacy rank low on the list of concerns of CIOs and internal audit chiefs.
6/26/2008 Mandatory data training for civil servants trainingzone.co.uk   All British civil servants who handle personal data as part of their job requirements will undergo mandatory, annual training per the recommendations of Sir Gus O'Donnell, whose recent review of the government's information security practices revealed gross negligence in the area of data protection. 
6/26/2008 Audit chiefs still lax on data privacy Director of Finance Online Adrie van der Luijt    The results of an Ernst & Young survey show that IT fraud and data privacy rank low on the list of concerns of CIOs and internal audit chiefs.
6/25/2008 Tougher data rules for Whitehall BBC News News Staff UK governmental departments will be required to take "mandatory minimum measures" to shore up data protection. The measures are designed to help restore the public's trust in the government's ability to protect their sensitive information, and come in the wake of reviews showing that at least two of the many serious data breaches within government agencies over the past several months were "entirely avoidable." 
6/25/2008 Smart CCTV cameras will hear and see vnunet.com Guy Dixon Newly designed artificial intelligence software gives closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) the eyes and ears of the neighborhood, reports vnunet.com. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth have developed the software, which will allow CCTVs to recognize noteworthy sounds and swivel its lens toward the noise to record. 
6/25/2008 Government lays plans to avoid future data security blunders Out-law.com   The Information Commissioner will serve enforcement notices to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Ministry of Defence based on reports published yesterday exposing the causes of serious data breaches within both organizations. 
6/25/2008 Tougher data rules for Whitehall BBC News News Staff UK governmental departments will be required to take "mandatory minimum measures" to shore up data protection. The measures are designed to help restore the public's trust in the government's ability to protect their sensitive information, and come in the wake of reviews showing that at least two of the many serious data breaches within government agencies over the past several months were "entirely avoidable." 
6/25/2008 Smart CCTV cameras will hear and see vnunet.com Guy Dixon Newly designed artificial intelligence software gives closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) the eyes and ears of the neighborhood, reports vnunet.com. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth have developed the software, which will allow CCTVs to recognize noteworthy sounds and swivel its lens toward the noise to record. 
6/25/2008 Government lays plans to avoid future data security blunders Out-law.com   The Information Commissioner will serve enforcement notices to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Ministry of Defence based on reports published yesterday exposing the causes of serious data breaches within both organizations. 
6/23/2008 European Commission Scrutinizes Online Advertising clickZ.com Jack Marshall Members of the European Commission met with industry leaders and others at a roundtable event on Friday to discuss privacy and consumer protection in the face of the online ad industry. Attendees discussed various issues arising from online advertising, such as consumer awareness, legislation and self-regulation. 
6/23/2008 European Commission Scrutinizes Online Advertising clickZ.com Jack Marshall Members of the European Commission met with industry leaders and others at a roundtable event on Friday to discuss privacy and consumer protection in the face of the online ad industry. Attendees discussed various issues arising from online advertising, such as consumer awareness, legislation and self-regulation. 
6/19/2008 One in three IT staff snoops on colleagues MSNBC Georgina Prodhan A survey conducted at Infosecurity Expo 2008 revealed that one in three information technology professionals has used administrative passwords to snoop into the confidential files of colleagues.
6/19/2008 Italian Privacy Advocates and Jurists Launch new Privacy Institute IT News Luca Bolognini Privacy advocates and legal experts have launched the Italian Institute for Privacy. 
6/19/2008 Mobile warriors leaking company secrets vnunet.com Ian Williams A study by Regus finds that Brits traveling on business have a tendency to leak company secrets, says a vnunet.com report. The survey of 1,000 mobile workers revealed that more than two thirds of business travelers have eavesdropped on confidential business conversations in public places and a third have seen sensitive data on laptops.
6/19/2008 One in three IT staff snoops on colleagues MSNBC Georgina Prodhan A survey conducted at Infosecurity Expo 2008 revealed that one in three information technology professionals has used administrative passwords to snoop into the confidential files of colleagues.
6/19/2008 Italian Privacy Advocates and Jurists Launch new Privacy Institute IT News Luca Bolognini Privacy advocates and legal experts have launched the Italian Institute for Privacy. 
6/19/2008 Mobile warriors leaking company secrets vnunet.com Ian Williams A study by Regus finds that Brits traveling on business have a tendency to leak company secrets, says a vnunet.com report. The survey of 1,000 mobile workers revealed that more than two thirds of business travelers have eavesdropped on confidential business conversations in public places and a third have seen sensitive data on laptops.
6/17/2008 UK Insurer Scraps GPS  Vehicle-tracking Policy PC World Jeremy Kirk Norwich Union has suspended its "Pay as you drive" plan, which tracked clients' vehicle usage using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, says a PCWorld report. The GPS allowed Norwich Union to track where and what time customers drove, and their speed, offering lower rates for off-peak hours. 
6/17/2008 UK government admits data breach The Irish Times Reuters For the second time in a week, the government has been hit with a data breach, Reuters reports. A break-in at the constituency office of Communities and Local Government has resulted in the theft of a computer. 
6/17/2008 UK Insurer Scraps GPS  Vehicle-tracking Policy PC World Jeremy Kirk Norwich Union has suspended its "Pay as you drive" plan, which tracked clients' vehicle usage using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, says a PCWorld report. The GPS allowed Norwich Union to track where and what time customers drove, and their speed, offering lower rates for off-peak hours. 
6/17/2008 UK government admits data breach The Irish Times Reuters For the second time in a week, the government has been hit with a data breach, Reuters reports. A break-in at the constituency office of Communities and Local Government has resulted in the theft of a computer. 
6/16/2008 Privacy watchdog concerned over surge in identity fraud The Press and Journal   A sixty-six percent rise in identity fraud over the past year has the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) prompting organisations and individuals to shore up on data protection.
6/16/2008 Privacy watchdog concerned over surge in identity fraud The Press and Journal   A sixty-six percent rise in identity fraud over the past year has the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) prompting organisations and individuals to shore up on data protection.
6/12/2008 British Lawmaker quits in protest at planned terror laws Baltimore Sun David Stringer A senior British lawmaker quit Parliament yesterday based on what he describes as the government's steady erosion of the country's civil liberties. Opposition Conservative Party member David Davis made the announcement after Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government won another vote to tighten terrorism laws. 
6/12/2008 British Lawmaker quits in protest at planned terror laws Baltimore Sun David Stringer A senior British lawmaker quit Parliament yesterday based on what he describes as the government's steady erosion of the country's civil liberties. Opposition Conservative Party member David Davis made the announcement after Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government won another vote to tighten terrorism laws. 
6/10/2008 EU mulls intervention over BT's secret Phorm trials The Register Chris Williams Despite the UK Information Commissioner's assurance that it will not pursue BT over alleged violations of the European Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, the European Commission says it will take action "if need be." 
6/10/2008 EU mulls intervention over BT's secret Phorm trials The Register Chris Williams Despite the UK Information Commissioner's assurance that it will not pursue BT over alleged violations of the European Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, the European Commission says it will take action "if need be." 
6/9/2008 Mind reading by MRI scan raises 'mental privacy' issue Telegraph.co.uk Roger Highfield Technological developments that make mind reading a reality have raised concerns about "mental privacy," with one leading neuroscientist calling for a public debate. 
6/9/2008 Mind reading by MRI scan raises 'mental privacy' issue Telegraph.co.uk Roger Highfield Technological developments that make mind reading a reality have raised concerns about "mental privacy," with one leading neuroscientist calling for a public debate. 
6/8/2008 ID cards 'could threaten privacy' BBC News   BBC News reports that the Home Affairs Select Committee wants to make sure that proper safeguards are in place for the National Identity Scheme--the project to create national ID cards for every British resident over the age of 16, set to roll out later this year.
6/8/2008 ID cards 'could threaten privacy' BBC News   BBC News reports that the Home Affairs Select Committee wants to make sure that proper safeguards are in place for the National Identity Scheme--the project to create national ID cards for every British resident over the age of 16, set to roll out later this year.
6/6/2008 Public demands data breach legislation vnunet.com Ian Williams As the European Union mulls the possibility of a data breach notification law, new research by Symantec and Ipsos Mori indicates that 96 percent of citizens want to know if their private information has been lost or stolen.
6/6/2008 Public demands data breach legislation vnunet.com Ian Williams As the European Union mulls the possibility of a data breach notification law, new research by Symantec and Ipsos Mori indicates that 96 percent of citizens want to know if their private information has been lost or stolen.
6/4/2008 Data Retention Effectively changes the behavior of Citizens in Germany kreativrauschen.com   A study of 1,002 Germans found that the social effects of the nation's data retention law changes the communications habits of its citizens.
6/4/2008 ICO Issues New Guidance On Transfer of Employee Information Out-law.com   The Information Commissioner's Office is helping organizations comply with the Data Protection Act when providing information about employees during a business transfer.
6/4/2008 German Government Backs Enhanced Surveillance International Herald Tribune Judy Dempsey In an effort to help protect against terrorist attacks, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government earlier this week agreed to give Germany's police forces enhanced powers to monitor homes, telephones and private computers.
6/4/2008 Data Retention Effectively changes the behavior of Citizens in Germany kreativrauschen.com   A study of 1,002 Germans found that the social effects of the nation's data retention law changes the communications habits of its citizens.
6/4/2008 ICO Issues New Guidance On Transfer of Employee Information Out-law.com   The Information Commissioner's Office is helping organizations comply with the Data Protection Act when providing information about employees during a business transfer.
6/4/2008 German Government Backs Enhanced Surveillance International Herald Tribune Judy Dempsey In an effort to help protect against terrorist attacks, Chancellor Angela Merkel's government earlier this week agreed to give Germany's police forces enhanced powers to monitor homes, telephones and private computers.
6/3/2008 Rights group pushing telecoms on data privacy realdeal.hu   A Hungarian group is working to abolish a law they say is unconstitutional and an invasion of citizens' privacy. The Company for Freedom Rights has asked the Constitutional Court to void a law that requires telecoms and Internet companies to store customer data for one year. 
6/3/2008 Rights group pushing telecoms on data privacy realdeal.hu   A Hungarian group is working to abolish a law they say is unconstitutional and an invasion of citizens' privacy. The Company for Freedom Rights has asked the Constitutional Court to void a law that requires telecoms and Internet companies to store customer data for one year. 
5/30/2008 Phorm Opponents to Picket BT Shareholders The Register Chris Williams Opponents of BT's involvement with Phorm will protest outside the company's annual meeting in July.
5/30/2008 Phorm Opponents to Picket BT Shareholders The Register Chris Williams Opponents of BT's involvement with Phorm will protest outside the company's annual meeting in July.
5/29/2008 Deutsche Telekom Offices Raided as Spying Scandal Deepens DW World   Labor representatives on the Deutsche Telekom supervisory board said yesterday they will press charges against the telecommunications giant for serious breaches of privacy and trust.
5/29/2008 Deutsche Telekom Offices Raided as Spying Scandal Deepens DW World   Labor representatives on the Deutsche Telekom supervisory board said yesterday they will press charges against the telecommunications giant for serious breaches of privacy and trust.
5/28/2008 EU Security Agency Calls For Breach Notification Law vnunet.com Tom Young The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) released a report outlining the need for a continent-wide data breach notification law.
5/28/2008 EU Security Agency Calls For Breach Notification Law vnunet.com Tom Young The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) released a report outlining the need for a continent-wide data breach notification law.
5/27/2008 Phone Giant in Germany Stirs a Furor The New York Times Mark Landler Deutsche Telekom yesterday admitted to "severe and far reaching" misuse of private data during a surreptitious investigation in which phone calls between reporters and board members were monitored in order to identify the sources of media leaks about the phone giant's internal affairs. 
5/27/2008 Phone Giant in Germany Stirs a Furor The New York Times Mark Landler Deutsche Telekom yesterday admitted to "severe and far reaching" misuse of private data during a surreptitious investigation in which phone calls between reporters and board members were monitored in order to identify the sources of media leaks about the phone giant's internal affairs. 
5/26/2008 Strong Data Protection Rules Are Needed To Prevent Emergence of Surveillance Society The European Weekly Thomas Hammarburg Commissioner for Human Rights for the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg argues for a highly developed EU data protection regime in order to protect citizens' privacy in an age where privacy is continually placed at risk for the sake of preventing terrorism. 
5/26/2008 Strong Data Protection Rules Are Needed To Prevent Emergence of Surveillance Society The European Weekly Thomas Hammarburg Commissioner for Human Rights for the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg argues for a highly developed EU data protection regime in order to protect citizens' privacy in an age where privacy is continually placed at risk for the sake of preventing terrorism. 
5/20/2008 Government plans to store comms data IT Week Phil Muncaster A proposed government database to house details of all phone and VoIP calls, emails and Internet usage by UK citizens has raised concerns about privacy. The draft Communications Data Bill would extend the current requirements for telcos and service providers to store details of emails and phone calls for 12 months. 
5/20/2008 Identity Theft a Prime Concern, says survey IT Pro Ash Dosanjh A new survey reveals that 86 percent of UK citizens worry about having their personal information misused and 61 percent of those are "extremely" or "very worried" about the issue, says a report in IT Pro. 
5/20/2008 Privacy Group Launches Phorm Spoiler PC Pro Barry Collins A group of concerned individuals calling itself the AntiPhorm group has launched an application aimed at preventing ISPs from profiting from their customers' Web surfing habits.
5/20/2008 Government plans to store comms data IT Week Phil Muncaster A proposed government database to house details of all phone and VoIP calls, emails and Internet usage by UK citizens has raised concerns about privacy. The draft Communications Data Bill would extend the current requirements for telcos and service providers to store details of emails and phone calls for 12 months. 
5/20/2008 Identity Theft a Prime Concern, says survey IT Pro Ash Dosanjh A new survey reveals that 86 percent of UK citizens worry about having their personal information misused and 61 percent of those are "extremely" or "very worried" about the issue, says a report in IT Pro. 
5/20/2008 Privacy Group Launches Phorm Spoiler PC Pro Barry Collins A group of concerned individuals calling itself the AntiPhorm group has launched an application aimed at preventing ISPs from profiting from their customers' Web surfing habits.
5/19/2008 Why we don't need a secury breach notification law in the UK Out-law.com Chris Pounder Privacy law specialist Chris Pounder says that the UK does not need a separate security-breach notification law because the failure to notify affected individuals is covered under the Data Protection Act. 
5/19/2008 Why we don't need a secury breach notification law in the UK Out-law.com Chris Pounder Privacy law specialist Chris Pounder says that the UK does not need a separate security-breach notification law because the failure to notify affected individuals is covered under the Data Protection Act. 
5/17/2008 Nelson Inquiry Disc is Lost utvlive.com   A police inquiry has been launched to investigate the loss of a disc containing personal information related to the loyalist murder of solicitor Rosemary Nelson. The public inquiry team responsible for the disc, which has been missing since May 6, said it deeply regretted "the serious breach of secure data handling protocols within the inquiry," says a UTV report. 
5/17/2008 Nelson Inquiry Disc is Lost utvlive.com   A police inquiry has been launched to investigate the loss of a disc containing personal information related to the loyalist murder of solicitor Rosemary Nelson. The public inquiry team responsible for the disc, which has been missing since May 6, said it deeply regretted "the serious breach of secure data handling protocols within the inquiry," says a UTV report. 
5/16/2008 Google Maps Could Cross EU Privacy Laws Business Week Leigh Philips European Union Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustnix says if Google plans to launch its "Street View" feature in Europe, they should consider reforming it, as the service may breach EU privacy laws. 
5/16/2008 Google Maps Could Cross EU Privacy Laws Business Week Leigh Philips European Union Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustnix says if Google plans to launch its "Street View" feature in Europe, they should consider reforming it, as the service may breach EU privacy laws. 
5/12/2008 Outrage in UK over staff blacklisting database SiliconRepublic.com Niall Byrne A controversial database set to launch later this month has raised the ire of citizens, trade unions and civil liberties groups. 
5/12/2008 e-Government:  Information Commissioner Welcomes new powers to fine organization PublicTechnology.net Central Government In an effort to demonstrate the importance of data protection, Britain's Information Commissioner now has the power to impose serious consequences for reckless or deliberate disclosure of personal information in violation of the Data Protection Act.
5/12/2008 Outrage in UK over staff blacklisting database SiliconRepublic.com Niall Byrne A controversial database set to launch later this month has raised the ire of citizens, trade unions and civil liberties groups. 
5/12/2008 e-Government:  Information Commissioner Welcomes new powers to fine organization PublicTechnology.net Central Government In an effort to demonstrate the importance of data protection, Britain's Information Commissioner now has the power to impose serious consequences for reckless or deliberate disclosure of personal information in violation of the Data Protection Act.
5/9/2008 State intruding into private lives, data watchdog warns The Independent Fergus Black Speaking on his 2007 annual report, Irish Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes said the public needs to question the State more often about measures taken to protect citizens from crime and terrorism that may also override privacy rights.
5/9/2008 State intruding into private lives, data watchdog warns The Independent Fergus Black Speaking on his 2007 annual report, Irish Data Protection Commissioner Billy Hawkes said the public needs to question the State more often about measures taken to protect citizens from crime and terrorism that may also override privacy rights.
5/8/2008 Our surveillance society goes online The Guardian Christine Evans-Pughe A new book by two University of Southampton computer science professors chronicles the rapid advance of endemic surveillance society.
5/8/2008 Lose data and you go to jail Computing  Tom Young The House of Lords last week approved legislation to criminalize the negligent disclosure of personal data.
5/8/2008 Our surveillance society goes online The Guardian Christine Evans-Pughe A new book by two University of Southampton computer science professors chronicles the rapid advance of endemic surveillance society.
5/8/2008 Lose data and you go to jail Computing  Tom Young The House of Lords last week approved legislation to criminalize the negligent disclosure of personal data.
5/6/2008 New Law to safeguard privacy Zaman Amerika   A bill to safeguard privacy rights went to the Turkish Parliament this week, says a Today'sZaman.com report. The bill, along with another submitted in April regarding state secrets and transparency, are part of reforms aimed at easing Turkey's bid to become part of the European Union.
5/6/2008 New Law to safeguard privacy Zaman Amerika   A bill to safeguard privacy rights went to the Turkish Parliament this week, says a Today'sZaman.com report. The bill, along with another submitted in April regarding state secrets and transparency, are part of reforms aimed at easing Turkey's bid to become part of the European Union.
5/5/2008 Are CCTV Cameras a waste of money in the fight against crime? The Independent Andy McSmith Writing for The Independent, Andy McSmith raises questions about the use of closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) in Britain.
5/5/2008 Swiss Banks Refuse Blame For Foreign Client's Tax Evasion International Herald Tribune Associated Press The Swiss Bankers Association is standing firm on its refusal to release foreign clients' information to nations seeking to crack down on tax evaders.
5/5/2008 Finland Considers changes to Data Protection Act Ice News K. Mar Amendments to Finland's Data Protection Act will enable companies to, in certain situations, examine emails sent by employees and the addresses to which they were sent.
5/5/2008 Are CCTV Cameras a waste of money in the fight against crime? The Independent Andy McSmith Writing for The Independent, Andy McSmith raises questions about the use of closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) in Britain.
5/5/2008 Swiss Banks Refuse Blame For Foreign Client's Tax Evasion International Herald Tribune Associated Press The Swiss Bankers Association is standing firm on its refusal to release foreign clients' information to nations seeking to crack down on tax evaders.
5/5/2008 Finland Considers changes to Data Protection Act Ice News K. Mar Amendments to Finland's Data Protection Act will enable companies to, in certain situations, examine emails sent by employees and the addresses to which they were sent.
5/4/2008 Crossed lines at Vodafone cause alarm The Observer Jamie Doward Technical problems with the network of Britain's largest mobile phone company made it possible for some users to hear the calls of other subscribers.
5/4/2008 Crossed lines at Vodafone cause alarm The Observer Jamie Doward Technical problems with the network of Britain's largest mobile phone company made it possible for some users to hear the calls of other subscribers.
5/1/2008 HMRC punishes staff over data privacy issues IT Week David Neal A New York Times article highlighting the benefits and disadvantages of software that lets parents monitor their kids' every scholastic move shows that while programs such as ParentConnect help keep parents "in the loop" on their sons' or daughters' daily experiences and stimulate communications among parents and teachers, many students find the technology invades their privacy. 
5/1/2008 HMRC punishes staff over data privacy issues IT Week David Neal A New York Times article highlighting the benefits and disadvantages of software that lets parents monitor their kids' every scholastic move shows that while programs such as ParentConnect help keep parents "in the loop" on their sons' or daughters' daily experiences and stimulate communications among parents and teachers, many students find the technology invades their privacy. 
4/30/2008 Update 1 - Uproar in Italy after web publishes earning levels Reuters Robin Pomeroy Members of Italy's outgoing government published on an Italian Treasury Web site the declared taxable income of every Italian citizen, Reuters reports.
4/30/2008 Update 1 - Uproar in Italy after web publishes earning levels Reuters Robin Pomeroy Members of Italy's outgoing government published on an Italian Treasury Web site the declared taxable income of every Italian citizen, Reuters reports.
4/25/2008 Face scans for air passengers to begin in UK this summer The Guardian Owen Bowcott The new biometric passports of EU and UK citizens will be put to use this summer when airports begin piloting the use of facial recognition technology in an attempt to improve security. Travelers will enter unmanned "clearance" gates, where scanners will match their facial images to that stored on their passport chips.
4/25/2008 Face scans for air passengers to begin in UK this summer The Guardian Owen Bowcott The new biometric passports of EU and UK citizens will be put to use this summer when airports begin piloting the use of facial recognition technology in an attempt to improve security. Travelers will enter unmanned "clearance" gates, where scanners will match their facial images to that stored on their passport chips.
4/24/2008 Financial companies underestimate ID fraud Reuters Jennifer Hill The Financial Services Authority (FSA) issued a warning to the UK financial sector to "change their attitude," when it comes to curbing the rising problem of identity fraud.
4/24/2008 Infosec 08: Half of businesses hit by breaches IT Pro Asavin Wattanajantra UK tech portal ITPro reports that, according to a new study conducted by the Ponemon Institute for PGP Corp., and released this week at InfoSec 2008 in London, 60 percent of UK companies suffered a data breach last year, and more than a quarter experienced multiple data breaches. 
4/24/2008 Financial companies underestimate ID fraud Reuters Jennifer Hill The Financial Services Authority (FSA) issued a warning to the UK financial sector to "change their attitude," when it comes to curbing the rising problem of identity fraud.
4/24/2008 Infosec 08: Half of businesses hit by breaches IT Pro Asavin Wattanajantra UK tech portal ITPro reports that, according to a new study conducted by the Ponemon Institute for PGP Corp., and released this week at InfoSec 2008 in London, 60 percent of UK companies suffered a data breach last year, and more than a quarter experienced multiple data breaches. 
4/22/2008 Privacy watchdog to get new powers Computing  Tom Young The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has received expanded powers to conduct spot checks on government departments beginning later this year.
4/22/2008 Privacy watchdog to get new powers Computing  Tom Young The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has received expanded powers to conduct spot checks on government departments beginning later this year.
4/21/2008 Data Theft involving 10,000 bank records RTE News   Sensitive information regarding 10,000 Bank of Ireland customers has been stolen.
4/21/2008 Customer data 'needs protection' BBC News Darren Waters UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas is urging Britain's firms and public bodies to make data protection a priority. His comments come on the heels of survey results indicating that companies and organizations are not doing enough to ensure the protection of citizens' confidential information.
4/21/2008 Security conscious Brits wary of data centres Experian QAS   Fifty-eight percent of Britons surveyed in a recent Migration Solutions poll indicated they believe data centres hold a great deal of sensitive personal data, such as credit card payment data, and nearly 76 percent of those surveyed worry about the security risks these centres pose. 
4/21/2008 Police force's Facebook app raises privacy concerns ZDNET.co.uk Matthew Broersma The Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are on Facebook and at least one privacy advocate is concerned about potential privacy ramifications, says a ZDNet.co.uk report. The force last week launched their GMP Updates application, which is designed to help them fight and detect crime, according to the report.
4/21/2008 Data Theft involving 10,000 bank records RTE News   Sensitive information regarding 10,000 Bank of Ireland customers has been stolen.
4/21/2008 Customer data 'needs protection' BBC News Darren Waters UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas is urging Britain's firms and public bodies to make data protection a priority. His comments come on the heels of survey results indicating that companies and organizations are not doing enough to ensure the protection of citizens' confidential information.
4/21/2008 Security conscious Brits wary of data centres Experian QAS   Fifty-eight percent of Britons surveyed in a recent Migration Solutions poll indicated they believe data centres hold a great deal of sensitive personal data, such as credit card payment data, and nearly 76 percent of those surveyed worry about the security risks these centres pose. 
4/21/2008 Police force's Facebook app raises privacy concerns ZDNET.co.uk Matthew Broersma The Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are on Facebook and at least one privacy advocate is concerned about potential privacy ramifications, says a ZDNet.co.uk report. The force last week launched their GMP Updates application, which is designed to help them fight and detect crime, according to the report.
4/17/2008 Company privacy traded for candy The Tech Herald Steve Ragan InfoSecurity Europe reps last week surveyed 576 people passing through London's Liverpool Street Station to find out how much personal information the average individual was willing to give up for a snack and the promise of a free vacation.
4/17/2008 Company privacy traded for candy The Tech Herald Steve Ragan InfoSecurity Europe reps last week surveyed 576 people passing through London's Liverpool Street Station to find out how much personal information the average individual was willing to give up for a snack and the promise of a free vacation.
4/15/2008 EDPS Opinion on ePrivacy Directive review: overall positive, but further improvements should be considered eGov Monitor European Data Protection Supervisor This week the UK's eGovMonitor.com news portal posted an opinion from the European Data Protection Supervisor's office observing that efforts to improve EU privacy protections are needed, but that the European Commission's proposed changes to the ePrivacy Directive should go further.
4/15/2008 EDPS Opinion on ePrivacy Directive review: overall positive, but further improvements should be considered eGov Monitor European Data Protection Supervisor This week the UK's eGovMonitor.com news portal posted an opinion from the European Data Protection Supervisor's office observing that efforts to improve EU privacy protections are needed, but that the European Commission's proposed changes to the ePrivacy Directive should go further.
4/14/2008 EC must adopt breach notification legislation, says watchdog Computing  Tom Young Peter Hustinx, Europe's data protection supervisor, has recommended that the European Commission adopt mandatory data breach notification law, following the lead of those states in the U.S. that have already taken the step. 
4/14/2008 EC must adopt breach notification legislation, says watchdog Computing  Tom Young Peter Hustinx, Europe's data protection supervisor, has recommended that the European Commission adopt mandatory data breach notification law, following the lead of those states in the U.S. that have already taken the step. 
4/10/2008 French sites fined for linking to privacy-invading content Out-law.com   The Paris Tribunal fined three French Web sites for breaching article 9 of the French Civil Code by invading the privacy of an actor by way of linking to an illicit article about him. 
4/10/2008 French sites fined for linking to privacy-invading content Out-law.com   The Paris Tribunal fined three French Web sites for breaching article 9 of the French Civil Code by invading the privacy of an actor by way of linking to an illicit article about him. 
4/9/2008 Information Commissioner:  Phorm must be opt-in only The Register Chris Williams The UK Information Commissioner's Office is taking a harder stand with regard to the controversial online advertising tracking system, Phorm, stating that use of the system must be on an opt-in basis only if it is to be compliant with UK law. 
4/9/2008 Information Commissioner:  Phorm must be opt-in only The Register Chris Williams The UK Information Commissioner's Office is taking a harder stand with regard to the controversial online advertising tracking system, Phorm, stating that use of the system must be on an opt-in basis only if it is to be compliant with UK law. 
4/8/2008 Google defends user data policy after EU report Reuters Eric Auchard Following the issuance of a set of data retention recommendations by the European Union's Article 29 Working Party on Friday, Google yesterday responded to defend its practices stating in a written response by Peter Fleischer, the company's global privacy counsel, "We believe that data retention requirements have to take into account the need to provide quality products and services for users, like accurate search results, as well as system security and integrity concerns." 
4/8/2008 Google defends user data policy after EU report Reuters Eric Auchard Following the issuance of a set of data retention recommendations by the European Union's Article 29 Working Party on Friday, Google yesterday responded to defend its practices stating in a written response by Peter Fleischer, the company's global privacy counsel, "We believe that data retention requirements have to take into account the need to provide quality products and services for users, like accurate search results, as well as system security and integrity concerns." 
4/7/2008 Europeans warn search engines:  Delete user data sooner Cnet News.com Anne Broache The European Union's Article 29 Working Party has issued a set of recommendations for data retention by search engine operators that derive revenue from search-based advertising.
4/7/2008 Europeans warn search engines:  Delete user data sooner Cnet News.com Anne Broache The European Union's Article 29 Working Party has issued a set of recommendations for data retention by search engine operators that derive revenue from search-based advertising.
4/3/2008 The lidls of Others:  Two More German Chains Caught Spying on Employees Spiegel Online   Government officials are being urged to take action to protect employee privacy amid allegations in recent weeks that spying is standard operating procedure among Germany's largest supermarkets.
4/3/2008 UK Children face social-networking danger PC Advisor Megan Burger A PC Advisor report says that 41 percent of children in the UK do not use the privacy settings provided by their social networking site. The data comes from an Ofcom survey, which found that while nearly half of the UK's eight to 17 year-old population have profiles on sites such as Bebo, Facebook, or Myspace, the majority of them leave their privacy settings open -- rendering their photos and personal information available to anyone online.
4/3/2008 The lidls of Others:  Two More German Chains Caught Spying on Employees Spiegel Online   Government officials are being urged to take action to protect employee privacy amid allegations in recent weeks that spying is standard operating procedure among Germany's largest supermarkets.
4/3/2008 UK Children face social-networking danger PC Advisor Megan Burger A PC Advisor report says that 41 percent of children in the UK do not use the privacy settings provided by their social networking site. The data comes from an Ofcom survey, which found that while nearly half of the UK's eight to 17 year-old population have profiles on sites such as Bebo, Facebook, or Myspace, the majority of them leave their privacy settings open -- rendering their photos and personal information available to anyone online.
4/1/2008 ICO: Data theft laws must not be axed Silicon.com Nick Heath With Parliament under pressure to soften clause 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill -- the bill mandating that those who buy or sell personal data face prison terms -- The Information Commissioner's Office has cautioned against any relaxing of the law.
4/1/2008 ICO: Data theft laws must not be axed Silicon.com Nick Heath With Parliament under pressure to soften clause 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill -- the bill mandating that those who buy or sell personal data face prison terms -- The Information Commissioner's Office has cautioned against any relaxing of the law.
3/28/2008 The IAPP Recognizes UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas with 2008 Privacy Leadership Award IAPP   UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas today received the International Association of Privacy Professionals' (IAPP) 2008 Privacy Leadership Award for his ongoing commitment to raising the public profile of privacy and data protection issues.
3/28/2008 U.K. Likely to Enact Data Breach Notice Law Privacy Law Watch Donald G. Aplin Reporting from the International Association of Privacy Professionals Privacy Summit in Washington, D.C. Privacy & Security Law Report writes that, chances are, the United Kingdom will enact a law this year surrounding data breach notification. 
3/28/2008 The IAPP Recognizes UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas with 2008 Privacy Leadership Award IAPP   UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas today received the International Association of Privacy Professionals' (IAPP) 2008 Privacy Leadership Award for his ongoing commitment to raising the public profile of privacy and data protection issues.
3/28/2008 U.K. Likely to Enact Data Breach Notice Law Privacy Law Watch Donald G. Aplin Reporting from the International Association of Privacy Professionals Privacy Summit in Washington, D.C. Privacy & Security Law Report writes that, chances are, the United Kingdom will enact a law this year surrounding data breach notification. 
3/25/2008 E. German Stasi informant wins battle to conceal past Reuters Carolyn Palmer A German court has ruled in favor of a former East German Stasi informant, forcing the creators of popular exhibition on the secret police to remove his name and activities from their display.
3/25/2008 E. German Stasi informant wins battle to conceal past Reuters Carolyn Palmer A German court has ruled in favor of a former East German Stasi informant, forcing the creators of popular exhibition on the secret police to remove his name and activities from their display.
3/24/2008 Heathrow fingerprint plan challenged Telegraph.co.uk Nick Allen The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is wary of a plan to fingerprint all passengers using Heathrow's new fifth terminal, saying that it may be a violation of the Data Protection Act.
3/24/2008 Heathrow fingerprint plan challenged Telegraph.co.uk Nick Allen The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is wary of a plan to fingerprint all passengers using Heathrow's new fifth terminal, saying that it may be a violation of the Data Protection Act.
3/20/2008 U.K. Consumers Now Privacy-Aware Digital Trends Christopher Nickson A new survey from the Office of the Information Commissioner (ICO) found that the majority of citizens are concerned about their personal information, and they're doing something about it. 
3/20/2008 Eurosceptics warn EU not to ignore Irish treaty rejection The Parliament   Speaking to members of the EU parliament in Brussels, U.S. Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff asserted that collecting passenger name record (PNR) data does not invade the privacy of airline passengers. 
3/20/2008 U.K. Consumers Now Privacy-Aware Digital Trends Christopher Nickson A new survey from the Office of the Information Commissioner (ICO) found that the majority of citizens are concerned about their personal information, and they're doing something about it. 
3/20/2008 Eurosceptics warn EU not to ignore Irish treaty rejection The Parliament   Speaking to members of the EU parliament in Brussels, U.S. Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff asserted that collecting passenger name record (PNR) data does not invade the privacy of airline passengers. 
3/18/2008