GCHQ intelligence sharing ‘was unlawful’, tribunal rules – BBC News
‘UK agency GCHQ’s sharing of intelligence gathered by US mass surveillance programmes was unlawful, a tribunal has ruled.’
BBC News, 6th February 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: investigatory powers
Police will need judge’s permission to access journalists’ phone and email records – The Guardian
‘Police will be forced to seek the permission of a judge if they want to retrieve the phone and email records of journalists, after the prime minister’s snooping watchdog found that 19 police forces made more than 600 applications to uncover confidential sources in the past three years.’
The Guardian, 4th February 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Mass surveillance is fundamental threat to human rights, says European report – The Guardian
‘Europe’s top rights body has said mass surveillance practices are a fundamental threat to human rights and violate the right to privacy enshrined in European law.’
The Guardian, 26th January 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
CCTV: Too many cameras useless, warns surveillance watchdog Tony Porter – BBC News
‘Too many CCTV cameras are ineffective and useless, the government’s surveillance commissioner has warned.’
BBC News, 26th January 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Lawyers join forces with journalists and social workers to protest against government snooping
‘The Law Society and Bar Council have joined forces with the British Association of Social Workers and National Union of Journalists to form the ‘Professionals for Information Privacy Coalition’, and express their concern over the controls in place on how the government snoops on professionals.’
Legal Futures, 20th January 2015
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Information commissioner calls for protection of private data amid calls for ‘snooper’s charter’ – The Independent
‘The information commissioner has called for the establishment of a US-style agency to defend the privacy of citizens amid growing calls for the reintroduction of the “snoopers’ charter”.’
The Independent, 13th January 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
A worrying new anti-terror law is sneaking through Parliament – The Guardian
‘As the world’s press and public stand vigil in support of Charlie Hebdo and the families of the victims of Wednesday’s attack, we wake this morning to reports that our security services are under pressure and seeking new powers. The spectre of the Communications Data Bill is again evoked. These reports mirror renewed commitments yesterday to new counter-terrorism measures for the EU and in France.’
The Guardian, 9th January 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: codes of practice consultation – Attorney General’s Office
‘A consultation on a revised code of practice that governs the use of investigatory powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.’
Attorney General’s Office, 12th December 2014
Source: www.gov.uk/ago
Cracking intercepts: the war on terror and difficulties with Human Rights – UK Human Rights Blog
‘This is a fascinating case, not just on the facts or merits but because it is generated by two of the major catalysts of public law litigation: the government’s duty to look after the security of its citizens, and the rapid outpacing of surveillance law by communications technology. Anyone who has seen The Imitation Game, a film loosely based on the biography of Alan Turing, will appreciate the conflicting currents at the core of this case: the rights of an individual to know, and foresee, what the limits of his freedom are, and the necessity to conceal from the enemy how much we know about their methods. Except the Turing film takes place in official wartime, whereas now the state of being at “war” has taken on a wholly different character.’
Full story
UK Human Rights Blog, 11th December 2014
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Judicial reviews: a decision that’s best left to judges – The Guardian
‘The justice secretary wants to restrict access to judicial reviews, but judging the lawfulness of executive action should not be a matter for the executive.’
The Guardian, 10th December 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
MPs get go-ahead to challenge snooping law – The Guardian
‘Two MPs have been given the green light to legally challenge the government over the introduction of legislation which gives police and security services access to people’s phone and internet records.’
The Guardian, 8th December 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
UK mass surveillance laws do not breach human rights, tribunal rules – The Guardian
‘Britain’s legal regime governing mass surveillance of the internet by intelligence agencies does not violate human rights, a tribunal has ruled.’
The Guardian, 5th December 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Pre-charge bail: Everything you need to know about the campaign to close a ‘legal limbo’ loophole – Daily Telegraph
‘Former ministers, MPs and lawyers have signed a letter to The Telegraph demanding reform of the controversial pre-charge bail measure. Here’s what you need to know.’
Full story
Daily Telegraph, 2nd December 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Internet data plan back on political agenda – BBC News
‘A law forcing firms to hand details to police identifying who was using a computer or mobile phone at a given time is to be outlined by Theresa May.’
BBC News, 23rd November 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Investing in crime fighting technology: accountability versus privacy rights – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘The London Met has recently indicated that officers will be fitted with body cameras. Other wearable technology such as wi-fi enabled clothing that allows real-time tracking, vital sign monitoring and constant communications is being trialled in the US.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 21st November 2014
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Police face legal action for snooping on journalists – The Guardian
‘A group of journalists has launched a legal action against Scotland Yard after discovering that the Metropolitan police has been recording their professional activities on a secret database designed to monitor so-called domestic extremists.’
The Guardian, 20th November 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Jihadis who travel to Syria could be barred from UK return for two years – The Guardian
‘Suspected jihadis, including teenagers, who travel to Syria will be prevented from returning to Britain for two years and only allowed to re-enter if they consent to face trial, home detention, regular police monitoring or go on a deradicalisation course. The plan, agreed after months of internal Whitehall talks, has been cleared by government law officers and devised to minimise legal claims that the British government will be rendering citizens stateless by barring them from the UK.’
The Guardian, 14th November 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Police ‘use loophole’ to access phone and email records – Daily Telegraph
‘Police forces have used a loophole to access phone and email records, it has been claimed.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th October 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Ripa: Curbs on police hacking journalist phones to find story sources – Daily Telegraph
‘Police will be banned from accessing reporter phone logs under the powers of Ripa unless they can show it is for serious crime.’
Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
