Snooping errors twice led to wrongful detention, watchdog reveals – The Guardian

“The police have wrongly accused and detained two people in separate cases as a result of mistakes made in the disclosure of their personal communications data, a watchdog has revealed.”

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The Guardian, 13th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Private investigators should be licensed, say MPs – BBC News

“All private investigators in England and Wales should be licensed or at least registered, a committee of MPs has recommended.”

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BBC News, 6th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone hacking: prosecutor will decide on charges within weeks – The Guardian

“Prosecutors aim to decide by the end of this month whether they will bring phone-hacking charges against former News of the World journalists, the director of public prosecutions has told the Guardian.”

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The Guardian, 8th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Foreign powers will be allowed to access email and phone records – Daily Telegraph

“Foreign governments could be given details of Britons’ phone calls, emails and internet usage in another ‘deeply troubling’ part of new surveillance plans.”

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Daily Telegraph, 4th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

More data should be released, but only with extra anonymity checks, says Government – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 2nd, 2012 in anonymity, data protection, disclosure, news, privacy by sally

“Government departments must conduct tests to make sure that blocks of data they release do not result in the identification of individuals when combined with blocks of other released data.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 2nd July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Surge in number of warnings over press behaviour – The Guardian

Posted July 2nd, 2012 in complaints, harassment, inquiries, interception, media, news, ombudsmen, privacy by sally

“The number of warnings issued about the behaviour of newspaper journalists harassing and intruding into the privacy of celebrities and members of the public is creeping back to the levels before the Milly Dowler phone hacking scandal erupted.”

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The Guardian, 1st July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Energy smart meters are a threat to privacy, says watchdog – The Guardian

Posted July 2nd, 2012 in data protection, energy, news, ombudsmen, privacy by sally

“Hi-tech monitors that track households’ energy consumption threaten to become a major privacy issue, according to the European watchdog in charge of protecting personal data.”

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The Guardian, 1st July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Huhne partner Carina Trimingham in privacy case appeal bid – BBC News

Posted June 29th, 2012 in appeals, harassment, media, news, privacy by sally

“The partner of MP Chris Huhne has launched an appeal after the High Court rejected her privacy and harassment claim against Associated Newspapers.”

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BBC News, 29th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police retention of photographs unlawful, High Court rules – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 27th, 2012 in data protection, human rights, news, photography, police, privacy by sally

“Liberal societies tend to view the retention of citizens’ private information by an arm of the state, without individuals’ consent, with suspicion. Last week, the High Court ruled that the automatic retention of photographs taken on arrest – even where the there is no prosecution, or the person is acquitted – for at least six years was an unlawful interference with the right to respect for private life of Article 8 of the ECHR, as enshrined in the Human Rights Act.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 27th June 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Census faces high court challenge over right to privacy – The Guardian

Posted June 21st, 2012 in census, data protection, disclosure, news, privacy, third parties by sally

“A high court judge will be told on Thursday that the 2011 census was unlawful because a provision in the act that governs it allows data to be passed to third parties.”

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The Guardian, 21st June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jamie Redknapp’s former partner launches legal action against BSkyB – The Guardian

Posted June 18th, 2012 in defamation, media, news, privacy, sex discrimination by sally

“The woman at the centre of the sexism row involving former Sky Sports pundits Richard Keys and Andy Gray has launched a legal action against parent company BSkyB.”

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The Guardian, 18th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Anorexic medical student should be fed against her will, judge rules – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 18th, 2012 in food, medical ethics, medical treatment, mental health, news, privacy by sally

“A High Court judge has ruled that it is in the best interests of a woman who suffers from anorexia to be fed against her wishes.”

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Daily Telegraph, 15th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Online privacy: Home Office to write blank cheque for ‘snoopers’ charter’ – The Guardian

“The government is to offer a blank cheque to internet and phone firms that will be required to track everyone’s email, Twitter, Facebook and other internet use under legislation to be published on Thursday.”

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The Guardian, 13th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Websites may only place cookies without user consent if services would not work without them, say regulators – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 13th, 2012 in consent, data protection, EC law, internet, news, privacy by sally

“Website operators can only take advantage of an exemption from new cookie laws if site users specifically request a service or function and that service would not work without the serving of the cookie, EU data protection regulators have warned.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th June 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Google to be investigated over data cover-up claims – The Guardian

“Google is facing increasing pressure after the information commissioner launched an investigation into claims that it orchestrated a cover-up of its capture of emails, passwords and medical records of people in the UK.”

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The Guardian, 12th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cookie law disaster should force companies to emulate patent world lobbying, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 13th, 2012 in consent, data protection, EC law, enforcement, internet, news, patents, privacy by sally

“UK authorities are beginning tentatively to enforce the cookies law and, after the compliance panic of the past month, companies can now sit back and examine where the fault lies for the development of such a poor, troublesome law.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th June 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Q&A: Who are internet trolls – and how is the law changing? – BBC News

Posted June 12th, 2012 in defamation, harassment, internet, news, privacy by sally

“Website operators in the UK may soon have to identify people who have posted defamatory messages online, allowing the victim to undertake legal action against the ‘troll’ rather than against the website.”

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BBC News, 12th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Facebook to release ID of users who abused woman online – BBC News

Posted June 8th, 2012 in data protection, harassment, internet, news, privacy by sally

“A woman who was abused on the internet has won court backing in her bid to gain the identities of those who targeted her.”

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BBC News, 7th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Major organisations mostly non-compliant with new laws on cookies, new research claims – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 7th, 2012 in consent, EC law, internet, news, privacy by sally

“Fewer than one in five major UK organisations have introduced mechanisms on their websites for obtaining users’ consent to ‘cookies’ which are compliant with the law, an accountancy firm has claimed.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th June 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Protester John Catt loses database fight – The Independent

Posted May 30th, 2012 in demonstrations, human rights, news, privacy by sally

” An 87-year-old political campaigner has lost a legal action to have details about his attendance at various protests removed from a police ‘extremism’ database.”

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The Independent, 30th May 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk