EU accepts data retention
p2p news / p2pnet: European Union justice ministers have approved the data retention directive under which telecom companies in all 25 EU states will have to keep records of all phone calls and Net communications for between six months to two years.
Civil liberties groups say it represents a gross violation of basic rights but supporters, largely of the corporate variety with the entertainment and software cartels to the fore, say the directive is needed to, "track down terrorists, pedophiles and criminal gangs".
"The measure already has the backing of the European Parliament, which succeeded in watering down the original proposal," adds UPI.
"European Commission vice-president Franco Frattini said the compromise was ‘not perfect’ but hailed the directive’s adoption as a ‘victory for democracy, a victory for our EU citizens, and a victory for the fundamental rights the European Union and its constituting 25 member states are based upon’."
Also See:
to the fore – Big Music tries Europe hi-jack, November 23, 2005
UPI – EU approves landmark data retention law, February 21, 2006
February 22nd, 2006 at 5:02 pm
A victory for tyranny. A victory for Big Brother. A victory for censorship. A victory for police state.
A loss for freedom. A loss for privacy. A loss for humanity. A loss for democracy.
February 22nd, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Now that it’s happened – be sure you are cautious about what you say online as its all monitored – should you wish to have a private conversation you’re going to have to turn to encryption..
Go download WASTE, open port 1337 and have anyone you wish to talk to privately do the same. I know there are basic encryption protections you can use while on TRILLIAN and icq and aim I believe but keep in mind the level of protection – with WASTE you can use a 4096bit encryption which is extreme overkill but you know what? I’ll take over kill with our Govt’s sounding more and more like Nazi’s have taken over.
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/waste/waste-setup-1.5-beta-3-full-eng.exe?download
It’s up to you – but I don’t like being monitored – EVEN if all I am talking about is what I want for dinner!
Just my 10 cents.
_-Jile-_
February 22nd, 2006 at 10:52 pm
‘the directive is needed to, “track down terrorists, pedophiles and criminal gangs”.’
Yeah, that’s what the’ll use it for…
February 23rd, 2006 at 5:14 am
[i]‘victory for democracy, a victory for our EU citizens, and a victory for the fundamental rights the European Union and its constituting 25 member states are based upon’[/i]
I really wish the EU would stop reading out loud Hitler’s Meine Kompf…