National Crime Agency director general: UK snooping powers are too weak – The Guardian

‘Britons must accept a greater loss of digital freedoms in return for greater safety from serious criminals and terrorists in the internet age, according to the country’s top law enforcement officer.’

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The Guardian, 7th October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone hacking: News of the World’s Ian Edmondson pleads guilty – The Guardian

Posted October 3rd, 2014 in guilty pleas, interception, media, news, privacy by tracey

‘A former News of the World news executive has admitted he was involved in phone hacking, 16 months after pleading not guilty to the crime in the Old Bailey. Ian Edmondson’s about-turn marks the final chapter in the phone-hacking trial that ended in June with the conviction of Andy Coulson and the acquittal of Rebekah Brooks, both former New of the World editors.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

EastEnders star Steve McFadden settles News of the World damages claim – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2014 in corruption, costs, damages, interception, media, news, police, telecommunications by tracey

‘Steve McFadden, the actor who plays Phil Mitchell in EastEnders, has settled his damages claim against the News of the World and the police over hacking and leaks about his private life to the paper.’

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The Guardian, 16th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New press self-regulation body ‘not a fake’, says Ipso chairman – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2014 in complaints, inquiries, interception, media, news, ombudsmen, privacy, standards, victims by sally

‘The chairman of a new press self-regulation body set up in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal says he wants to show critics it is not a “fake”.’

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BBC News, 8th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Andy Coulson eligible for move from Belmarsh prison – The Guardian

Posted August 15th, 2014 in conspiracy, interception, media, news, prisons, privacy, retrials, sentencing, telecommunications by tracey

‘Andy Coulson, David Cameron’s former director of communications, looks set to be moved from high-security Belmarsh prison after finally being classified as posing no risk to society.’

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The Guardian, 14th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

News International lawyers face tribunal over alleged hacking coverup – The Guardian

‘Two lawyers working for News International at the height of the phone hacking scandal are being prosecuted by the legal profession’s regulator for allegedly seeking to cover up the scale of criminality at the News of the World.’

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The Guardian, 9th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-NoW journalist Dan Evans gets suspended sentence over hacking – The Guardian

‘A former journalist at the News of the World who admitted listening to more than 1,000 hacked voicemail messages has been spared jail because of what the judge said was his “unique” role in giving the prosecution evidence in the trial of Andy Coulson, Rebekah Brooks and others.’

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The Guardian, 24th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rhys Ifans and Michael Barrymore awarded damages in phone hacking case – The Independent

Posted July 23rd, 2014 in damages, interception, media, news, privacy by sally

‘Rhys Ifans and Michael Barrymore have both received undisclosed damages at the close of their phone hacking lawsuit.’

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The Independent, 22nd July 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Will Drip law make UK citizens’ data more attractive to hackers? – The Guardian

‘The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers (Drip) bill that yesterday cleared the House of Lords will make companies holding UK citizens’ communications data far more attractive to criminal hackers, a security expert has warned.’

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The Guardian, 18th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tom Hickman: Further Concerns about the DRIP Bill – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘In a blog post on Monday I expressed concerns about the lack of time for proper scrutiny of the changes to be brought in by the DRIP Bill. Towards the end of that blog I expressed puzzlement at a change to be made to the definition of “telecommunications system” in RIPA. This definition is central to the scheme of RIPA and is the basis for many of the powers therein.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th July 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org/blog

Peers criticise government over emergency data laws – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2014 in bills, electronic mail, interception, news, parliament, telecommunications by tracey

‘The government has come under fire in the Lords over emergency legislation giving the security services access to people’s phone and internet records.’

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BBC News, 16th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Emergency surveillance bill clears Commons – The Guardian

‘Controversial emergency surveillance legislation has cleared the Commons after an extended sitting and angry exchanges alleging an abuse of parliament.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tom Hickman on the DRIP Bill: Plugging Gaps in Surveillance Laws or Authorising the Unlawful? – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The unveiling last Thursday of a a draft bill on surveillance powers that is to be rushed through Parliament brought to mind the story of the Dutch boy who finds a hole in a dyke on his way to school and puts his finger in it to plug the leak until help arrives to shore it up. The legislation is said to be necessary to plug what the Government regards as holes in the regime of surveillance and investigatory powers pending a full review. The fact that the bill is titled the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill – the “DRIP” bill – may mean I am not the first person to draw the analogy. But the analogy may not be entirely apt. An examination of the DRIP Bill reveals that it is not addressing little holes in the regime but in fact profoundly important and substantial issues.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th July 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org/blog

NSA surveillance data: UK access to information faces legal challenge – The Guardian

‘The biggest domestic legal challenge to UK intelligence agencies accessing the mass data harvested by the US National Security Agency (NSA) begins on Monday, and may be one reason behind the government’s decision to introduce emergency surveillance laws into parliament next week, campaigners have suggested.’

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The Guardian, 11th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tribunal to hear legal challenge to GCHQ surveillance claims – BBC News

‘A tribunal is to hear a legal challenge by civil liberty groups against the alleged use of mass surveillance programmes by UK intelligence services.’

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BBC News, 14th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Andy Coulson jailed for 18 months over phone hacking – BBC News

Posted July 4th, 2014 in conspiracy, interception, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has been jailed for 18 months for conspiracy to hack phones.’

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BBC News, 4th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

ISPs take legal action against GCHQ – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2014 in complaints, intelligence services, interception, internet, news, privacy by sally

‘Seven internet service providers have filed a legal complaint against the UK’s intelligence agency GCHQ.’

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BBC News, 2nd July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyer seeks shorter Andy Coulson sentence – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2014 in conspiracy, interception, media, news, privacy, sentencing, telecommunications by sally

‘Andy Coulson did not know the phone hacking going on while he was News of the World editor was illegal and this fact should mitigate the sentence he faces, his lawyer has said.’

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BBC News, 1st July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hacking trial: Legal battle set to cost taxpayers millions of pounds – The Independent

Posted July 2nd, 2014 in appeals, conspiracy, costs, fees, interception, media, news, privacy, prosecutions by sally

‘A legal battle between Rupert Murdoch’s News UK and England’s prosecuting authorities over the “astronomical” costs of the record-breaking phone hacking trial will involve “millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money”.’

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The Independent, 1st July 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Andy Coulson and Clive Goodman face re-trial – BBC News

‘Andy Coulson and Clive Goodman are to face a re-trial on a charge that they bought royal telephone directories from police officers.’

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BBC News, 30th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk