privacy
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UK Govt wants real-time access to our communications!
Leaked docs reveal the UK Home Office’s secret plan real-time access to our text messages and online communications AND force companies like WhatsApp to break the security on its own software. This reckless government plan will make all of us more vulnerable to attacks like yesterday’s ransomware assault against the NHS. Continue reading
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medConfidential Bulletin, 21st April 2017
21 April 2017 — medConfidential Though the political focus is on the General Election, the ‘STP shuffle’ remains highly significant. Whatever the result in June, both funding and decision-making for health and care services will be increasingly devolved to local areas. Continue reading
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Webinar: Protect Against the Snoopers’ Charter
Under the guise of counter-terrorism, the British government last year introduced the Investigatory Powers Act (aka the Snoopers Charter) — granting itself the most far-reaching surveillance powers of any modern democratic government. Continue reading
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What does the NHS do with your data?
Although the Government has yet to issue the necessary CAG Regulations; or ‘one strike and you’re out’ sanctions for data misuse or abuse; has failed to close the “promotion of health” (i.e. Pharma marketing) and commercial re-use loophole; still hasn’t put the National Data Guardian on a proper statutory footing, let alone responded to the… Continue reading
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medConfidential Bulletin, 24th March 2017
We are entering a period where a lot of things are happening – and are likely to happen – in quick succession, so we wanted to provide a perspective and some context that we hope will help explain at least some of what is going on. Continue reading
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Open Borders? No, open your media, or else
In the U.S., a disturbing proposal is on the table: Key U.S. politicians want to force every single traveller crossing the border to hand over their digital devices, unlock them, and provide their social media passwords. Continue reading
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Snoopers Charter is Breaking the Law
Under a temporary surveillance law known as the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act (DRIPA), the Government forced communications companies to store details of every person’s internet activity, emails, texts and phone calls. Hundreds of organisations and government agencies – from police forces to HMRC – were allowed to grant themselves access to this data… Continue reading
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The NHS Opt-out is worthless!
Over 1.2 million people, just like you, opted out of their hospital records being sold. The opt out has begun to work, but NHS confirms hospital records are still being sold. Continue reading
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The Snoopers Charter passes into law
Last night the Investigatory Powers Bill – or Snoopers’ Charter – passed through Parliament. It is a sad day for British liberty, but the fight does not end here. The new Act is overtly incompatible with human rights law and, we think, ripe for challenge. Our message to the Government: see you in Court. Continue reading
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‘Our Identity Is Often What’s Triggering Surveillance’
Janine Jackson: The civil rights director of the Oregon state Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against his employer. It seems the department got a new computer program that lets them search social media, and to test it out, they looked for hash tags related to Black Lives Matter and activism against police violence,… Continue reading
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International Right to Know Day Impact Stories
Today we celebrate the 14th annual International Right to Know Day by highlighting a few of the year’s most impactful news stories that were made possible by people taking advantage of right to know (RTK) laws around the world. Continue reading
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Statewatch analysis: The visible hand: The EU’s Security Industrial Policy
The EU’s initiatives in security are wide-ranging, but they frequently dovetail with the interests of major security and defence companies: tools for mass data-gathering and predictive analytics, continent-wide surveillance systems and databases, the increasing use of biometrics in all walks of life, and the closer integration of public authorities and private industry. Continue reading
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Do you want GP records shared, even if you’ve opted out?
Care.data may be gone, but Jeremy Hunt is asking whether you want to keep your opt out of your medical records leaving your GP’s practice. Will you tell him what you think? Continue reading
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Statewatch News Online, 15 August 2016 (13/16)
15 August 2016 — Statewatch.org • e-mail: office@statewatch.org You can also access as a pdf file here: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2016/aug/e-mail-gen-15-aug.pdf NEWS 1. EU: Analysis: A missed opportunity to open up secret trilogue decision-making in the EU 2. EU: External migration projects: Council to approve auditors’ recommendations 3. French interior minister wants global effort against encryption 4. HUNGARY-ECHR: Anti-Roma racism, hyperlinks… Continue reading
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Snoopers Charter Breaks the Law!
A senior judge at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has concluded that the Government’s surveillance law breaches our fundamental rights. Continue reading
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No to the Snoopers Charter!
ICRs (Internet Connection Records) are an expensive and unwarranted invasion on all of our privacy. They’re just one part of the controversial Snoopers’ Charter, which will be debated in the House of Lords, starting today. We want to show Peers just how intrusive these ICRs would be – so we’ve sent a mock ICR on… Continue reading
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Safe in Police hands?
6 July 2016 — Big Brother Watch How Police Forces suffer 10 data breaches every week and still want more of your data. A Big Brother Watch Report July 2016 Safe in Police hands? shows that between June 2011 and December 2015 there were at least 2,315 data breaches conducted by police staff. Over 800… Continue reading
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Statewatch 10 June 2016: Statewatching Europe Conference, 25 June: Final programme
Workshops and discussions on the refugee crisis in the Med and in the EU; mass surveillance; the EU’s crisis of legitimacy and accountability; the policing of protest and criminalisation of communities; racism, xenophobia and the far right; strategies of resistance and the defence of civil liberties. Continue reading
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NHS: Your opt-out finally honoured
On Wednesday, the HSCIC announced that they had received permission from the Secretary of State to finally honour his promise to you. You can opt out of data leaving the HSCIC for purposes beyond your direct care, and that is what happens. When he created the opt out that you took up, NHS England, who… Continue reading
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‘Everyone Is Not Watched Equally’
15 March 2015 — FAIR ‘Everyone Is Not Watched Equally’ Janine Jackson interviewed Alvaro Bedoya on privacy, technology and the targets of surveillance for the March 11, 2016, CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. Alvaro Bedoya: “There is a sad and deep record of companies and the government making very poor decisions of how… Continue reading
The New Dark Age 