GCHQ faces legal challenge in European court over online privacy – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2013 in human rights, intelligence services, internet, news, privacy by sally

“The UK spy agency GCHQ is facing a legal challenge in the European courts over claims that its mass online surveillance programmes have breached the privacy of tens of millions of people across the UK and Europe.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK’s surveillance laws need overhaul, says former defence secretary – The Guardian

“Laws used by Britain’s spy agencies to justify mass surveillance and interception techniques must be reviewed to ensure they have kept pace with ‘incredible changes’ in communications, one of the country’s foremost intelligence experts has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Notification of PECR security breaches – Information Commissioner’s Office

Posted September 27th, 2013 in advertising, data protection, EC law, electronic mail, privacy, reports by tracey

“Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations – guide”

Full guide

Information Commissioner’s Office, 26th September 2013

Source: www.ico.org.uk

No breach of privacy to request DNA sample from ex con – UK Human Rights Blog

“The High Court has ruled that it is not a breach of the right to private life to request DNA samples from those who were convicted of serious offences before it became commonplace to take samples for the production of DNA profiles for the investigation of crime.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 24th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ex-prisoner fails to halt police DNA-collection programme – The Guardian

“A former prisoner has failed in a legal challenge that could have forced police to destroy thousands of DNA samples collected from those convicted of serious crimes before 1994.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (Prothero) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Posted September 20th, 2013 in human rights, law reports, notification, privacy, regulations, sexual offences by sally

Regina (Prothero) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 2830 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 350

“Regulation 12 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 which required a person on the sex offenders register to provide details of bank, debit or credit card accounts held by him, was not incompatible with his rights under article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.”

WLR Daily, 18th September 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

ISPs data protection fears about database of suspected online copyright infringers unfounded – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 20th, 2013 in copyright, data protection, internet, news, privacy by sally

“OPINION: ISPs are wrong to suggest that data protection laws prevent rights holders creating a database of suspected online copyright infringers. Any concerns ISPs have about invasion of customers’ privacy can be overcome by the use of safeguards.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Costs protection reform – privacy and defamation cases – RPC Privacy Law

Posted September 20th, 2013 in consultations, costs, defamation, news, privacy by sally

“The government has unveiled its latest attempt to resolve the tension between its plans to abolish success fees in CFAs and ATE premiums (to reduce costs in privacy and defamation cases) while still making proceedings accessible to less wealthy parties.”

Full story

RPC Privacy Law, 19th September 2013

Source: www.rpc.co.uk

“Follow the money” powers do not breach sex offenders’ privacy rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 19th, 2013 in news, notification, privacy, sexual offences by sally

“This was a challenge to regulations introduced in 2012 under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 which require a person on the Sex Offenders Register to provide details of bank, debit or credit card accounts held by him. The claimant sought a declaration that this particular regulation was incompatible with his right to respect for private life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 18th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Paedophile loses bank rule challenge – BBC News

Posted September 18th, 2013 in appeals, banking, child abuse, disclosure, news, police, privacy, proportionality, sexual offences by sally

“A convicted paedophile has lost a legal challenge against rules requiring him to disclose bank details to police.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council wins appeal over job titles of attendees at law firm meeting – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 16th, 2013 in appeals, contracting out, data protection, disclosure, local government, news, privacy by tracey

“A council has won an appeal over whether it was required – following an FOI request – to disclose the job titles of junior officers attending a meeting at a law firm to discuss a major outsourcing project.”

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th September 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government defamation costs reforms ‘could have chilling effect’ – Daily Telegraph

“Government proposals to allow people of ‘modest means’ to sue for libel without having to pay the other side’s legal costs if they lose could have a ‘chilling effect’ on free speech, a leading media lawyer has warned.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Costs protection in defamation and privacy claims: the Government’s proposals – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 13th, 2013 in consultations, costs, defamation, press releases, privacy by tracey

“Costs protection in defamation and privacy claims: the Government’s proposals.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 13th September 2013

Source: https://consult.justice.gov.uk/

Direct marketing via email to consumers requires ‘extremely clear and specific’ consent, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

“Organisations need to obtain ‘extremely clear and specific’ consent from individuals in order to conduct direct marketing via email to them or through any other form of electronic marketing message, according to new guidelines.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Mortgage companies’ additional data reporting must serve a valid purpose and be limited to a necessary volume, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 10th, 2013 in data protection, mortgages, news, privacy by tracey

“The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) should review the necessity of asking mortgage providers to provide it with additional personal information about customers in order to ensure those individuals’ privacy rights are respected, a data protection watchdog has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

NSA and GCHQ unlock privacy and security on the internet – The Guardian

“US and British intelligence agencies have successfully cracked much of the online encryption relied upon by hundreds of millions of people to protect the privacy of their personal data, online transactions and emails, according to top-secret documents revealed by former contractor Edward Snowden.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

ICO warns councils over home working by social services employees – Local Government Lawyer

“A city council has been fined £100,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office after information on social services involvement with a number of individuals was published online.”

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th August 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Google trying to evade UK privacy laws, campaigners claim – The Guardian

Privacy campaigners have condemned Google for responding to British users’ claims that it had illicitly tracked their web browsing by claiming that UK laws do not apply to it.

Full story

The Guardian, 19th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Surveillance camera code of practice comes into force – BBC News

“A code of practice on the use of surveillance cameras by bodies such as local authorities and police forces has come into effect in England and Wales.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Privacy International to challenge telecoms firms over GCHQ cooperation – The Guardian

“BT and Vodafone are among seven large telecoms firms which could be pulled into a legal challenge under human rights law for cooperating with GCHQ’s large-scale internet surveillance programs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk