database state
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DRIPping into Fascism, one ‘law’ at a time
DRIP (Data Retention and Investigatory Powers) ignores the Court and recreates blanket surveillance powers that’ll affect all of us – allowing the Government to command retention of the entire population’s communications data for 12 months. Continue reading
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‘It defies belief’: Snowden condemns UK’s new surveillance bill
Snowden found the duress with which the UK government processed the Data Retention and Investigation Powers Bill to be remarkable, comparing it to the Bush administration’s introduction of the Protect America Act in 2007. The Protect America Act was issued after the New York Times exposed a “warrantless wire-tapping programme” that was both illegal and… Continue reading
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The National Security State: UK gov rushes through emergency law on data retention By Kelly Fiveash
Emergency law is expected within days to be pushed through Parliament that will force ISPs to retain customer data to allow spooks to continue to spy on Brits’ internet and telephone activity, after existing powers were recently ruled invalid by the European Union’s highest court. Continue reading
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UK to force telecom firms to spy on British citizens
The UK government is set to pass emergency laws requiring phone companies to hold detailed records of all phone calls, texts and internet usage for up to 12 months. Under the new legislation, companies would be allowed to access more data than ever before, including records of every website their customers visit, as well as… Continue reading
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ISPs haul GCHQ into COURT over dragnet interwebs snooping By Kelly Fiveash
Britain’s eavesdropping nerve centre GCHQ has been accused of unlawfully accessing the private communications of potentially millions of people – and angry internet service providers are dragging the snooping agency to court. Continue reading
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Is the Dept. of Homeland Security Becoming America’s SS? By John W Whitehead
If the United States is a police state, then the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is its national police force, with all the brutality, ineptitude and corruption such a role implies. In fact, although the DHS’ governmental bureaucracy may at times appear to be inept and bungling, it is ruthlessly efficient when it comes to… Continue reading
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Tom Watson tables motion on mass surveillance
I’ve just tabled a motion on mass surveillance. Please ask your MP to support. Continue reading
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Statewatch News Online, 10 June 2014: EU: When the state is complicit in hate
10 June 2014 — Statewatch • e-mail: office@statewatch.org NEWShttp://www.statewatch.org/news/ 1. EU: Council of the European Union: Foreign fighter and returnees from a counter-terrorism perspective2. COE: Parliamentary Assembly (PACE): ‘Crucial gaps’ in the legal framework on search and rescue in the Mediterranean 3. EU-INTERPOL-WEST AFRICA: Creating the West African Police Information System (WAPIS) Continue reading
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Vodafone Reveals Existence of Secret Wires That Allow State Surveillance By Juliette Garside
Vodafone, one of the world’s largest mobile phone groups, has revealed the existence of secret wires that allow government agencies to listen to all conversations on its networks, saying they are widely used in some of the 29 countries in which it operates in Europe and beyond. Continue reading
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One year after Snowden drops NSA bomb, UK citizens demand more privacy
A year after the National Security Agency’s spy program was uncovered, a UK poll reports that more than 8 out of 10 internet users want their browsing history to remain confidential, while 12 percent say they don’t mind government’s prying eyes. Continue reading
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What does mass surveillance do to Human Rights? By Elspeth Guild 12 May 2014
Where such mass, weakly targeted surveillance techniques have been used in Europe, the Human Rights Court has found them inconsistent with the right to respect for privacy. Mass surveillance is by definition arbitrary. Continue reading
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Statewatch News Online, 25 April 2014 (06/14): UK: So who exactly IS now classified as a ‘Domestic Extremist’?
25 April 2014 — Statewatch • e-mail: office@statewatch.org NEWS http://www.statewatch.org/news/ 1. USA: No-fly list used by FBI to coerce Muslims into informing 2. EU: European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS): European Terrorist Finance Tracking System (TFTS) 3. UK: So who exactly IS now classified as a ‘Domestic Extremist’? Continue reading
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Triple-headed NHS privacy scare after hospital data reach marketers, Google By Simon Sharwood
On page eight, a section titled “The cloud can transform the way the NHS connects and uses data” the discussion turns to “an archive called Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)” that contains “a huge amount of detailed data” about the activity of “every Hospital in England.” A busy time, then, for HSCIC’s spin doctors and a… Continue reading
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What purpose could mass surveillance in the EU possibly serve?
The European Parliament commissioned a report on the mass surveillance programs implemented in the European Union. The document lays down the data available regarding five member States (France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Sweden) and ponders about their impact on the economic system. Continue reading
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NHS IT boss Kelsey wrongly claims care.data leaflet sent to 100% of homes By Jane Fae
Confidence in NHS England’s commitment to transparency and openness received another blow this morning as a full and frank explanation of yesterday’s events by NHS IT Director Tim Kelsey made two more inaccurate and misleading statements about the care.data leafleting process. Continue reading
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NHS England delays share of personal data By Jane Fae
As criticism of the controversial care.data scheme reached a crescendo last night, and with at least two possible legal challenges now under way, NHS England finally gave in to critics, announcing a further six month pause to the project – and yet more money to be spent on publicity campaigns. Continue reading
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Top Brit docs wade into GP data grab row, demand ‘urgent’ NHS England talks By Kelly Fiveash
Pressure is mounting on NHS England to stall its incoming data grab of GP-stored medical records, after another health body said that the government needed to improve public awareness of the controversial scheme. Continue reading
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UK: ACT NOW to protect your medical confidentiality
Sometime in January 2014 you may have received a leaflet via junk mail, entitled ‘Better information means better care‘ (2MB PDF file). It may not be clear from the leaflet that a significant change in what is done with your medical records is about to happen. Continue reading
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How safe are your medical records?
At Liberty we’ve reacted with significant concern over NHS England’s new plans for a ‘care.data’ database. This could see your private medical records – including highly sensitive data – shared on a single database. Continue reading
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‘Maybe we haven’t been clear enough about med records opt-out’, admits NHS data boss By Kelly Fiveash
NHS data chief Tim Kelsey admitted today that the health service had failed to adequately inform patients about how they can opt out of having their GP medical records shared throughout England. Continue reading
The New Dark Age 