Privacy chiefs will fight surveillance
p2pnet.net News:- “Privacy and data protection may in fact be just as precious as the air we breathe. Both are invisible, but the effects may be equally disastrous, when they are no longer available.”
That’s the bottom line message which emerged during a meeting of privacy protection commissioners from the UK, France, Germany and New Zealand who now say they’ll act together against the developing “surveillance society”.
“The protection of citizens’ personal data is vital for any society, on the same level as freedom of the press or freedom of movement,” says a communiqué adopted by the commissioners, quoted by Out-Law.com.
“As our societies are increasingly dependent on the use of information technologies, and personal data are collected or generated at a growing scale, it has become more essential than ever that individual liberties and other legitimate interests of citizens are adequately respected.”
The communiqué wants data and privacy commissioners, “to support the establishment of an international convention on data protection, which was first agreed on by commissioners in 2005,” says the story.
“DPAs should endeavour to promote this initiative in their respective spheres of influence, in particular within the regional organisations or linguistic zones to which they belong. The need for global solutions respecting privacy and data protection may arise in specific sectors (e.g. internet governance, financial transactions, air transport) and must then be addressed by DPAs with all appropriate means.”
In the document, the commissioners say international cooperation is vital because foreign precedents are often used by a government to justify action that erodes citizens’ rights.
Under Data Protection is Indispensable to society, they declare:
1. The protection of citizens’ personal data is vital for any society, on the same level as freedom of the press or freedom of movement. As our societies are increasingly dependent on the use of information technologies, and personal data are collected or generated at a growing scale, it has become more essential than ever, that individual liberties and other legitimate interests of citizens are adequately respected in relevant information practices.
2. Data protection is not, and must not be seen as, an abstract, theoretical, let alone a ‘theological’ subject. Data protection rules are about the protection of individuals. They aim to uphold the right not to be on file or monitored in an abusive or uncontrolled manner. They aim to defend human dignity and to enable individuals to exercise their rights and protect their legitimate interests.
3. Data protection can only be made a reality, if data protection rules are complied with in practice. Data protection authorities have a key role in ensuring compliance, but they can only be successful if they are effective in communicating the data protection message and involving other appropriate stakeholders, and if necessary in using their powers of investigation and enforcement.
We, “urgently need to develop and implement a new communication strategy, both at the national and the international levels,” states the communiqué, going on:
Communication as an objective.
Much better communication with the public must be a leading objective for all DPAs. It is not acceptable that in some countries where the right to data protection is a constitutional right, just as freedom of movement or freedom of the press, the vast majority of our fellow citizens have absolutely no awareness about such rights or their importance. It is even less acceptable where there are even negative attitudes towards data protection.
We must initiate powerful and long term awareness raising campaigns aimed at informing individuals on the existence and the content of their rights. The effects of these actions need to be measured. Two specific targets must be aimed at:
National and local elected representatives – most of them are no better informed than the average citizen.
Young people who show little interest in these questions as they are so used to using new technologies. We must act in the educational field as soon as possible.
Communication as a powerful lever.
It is important and urgent that our DPAs are granted better means of action and that they are ensured recognition at the international level. Public confidence and support are absolutely essential. Data protection must be made more concrete.
It is only those organisations which communicate, usually through the media, in ways which are meaningful, accessible and relevant to the public at large, which will gain the necessary power to influence public opinion, and thus be heard and taken seriously by the States and the international community. Meeting this condition is necessary to obtain these indispensable means of action.
This implies that we all use communication professionals in our authorities, and that communication messages are as consistent as possible across all DPAs.
An interesting communication message would be to draw a parallel between the preservation of individual liberties and the preservation of the environment, says the document, stating:
One may not act with impunity with regard to environmental issues. In the same way, we must be extremely careful in the data protection field with any uncontrolled technological evolution or with any law that may be enacted without a clear vision of the risks at stake. We then run the risk that our ‘capital’ in terms of liberties and of identity is reduced or even destroyed.
And it will not be renewed, precisely because technological innovation is irreversible.
Last week UK Information Commissioner Richard Thomas warned that Britain had become a surveillance society, “and that the constant monitoring of individuals’ actions by public and private bodies was creating social division,” says Out-Lw.com, adding:
“A report produced for the Commissioner’s office said that in the future wealthy people would be made more mobile by surveillance, while poorer people would find it harder to be physically and economically mobile because of social profiling based on data gathering.”
Also See:
Out-Law.com – Privacy chiefs vow to fight surveillance together, November 7, 2006
communiqué - Communicating Data Protection and Making It More Effective, November, 2006
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