June 22

UK Confidential [Pdf]: Challenges To Privacy In An Open Society.Demos

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The Demos think tank in the United Kingdom consistently finds new perspectives and outlooks on important topics, and this latest collection of essays published in May 2008 is no exception. Specifically, these fourteen essays "explore the underlying challenges and realities of privacy in an open society, and argue for a new settlement between the individual and society; the public and the states; the consumer and business." The volume was sponsored in part by the telecommunications company BT, and it includes such trenchant essays as "The culture of control", "A place of greater safety? Information sharing and confidentiality", and "The social value of privacy". It is worth noting that the underlying theme of the collection is that "we get the privacy culture we deserve", and this alone is well worth thinking (and reading) about. [KMG] Scout Report

http://www.demos.co.uk/files/UK%20confidential%20-%20web.pdf

February 08

Privacy: Liberty Resources

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Privacy: Liberty resources

This site is maintained by leading British human rights group Liberty. It provides free access to a collection of its press releases, statements, papers and reports relating to privacy. Also provided are links to summaries of the relevant Uk legislation . Topics covered include: CCTV; the surveillence society; the use of RFID technology; identity cards (ID cards); telephone tapping; personal privacy, counterterrorism and human rights. From Intute.ac.uk
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/issues/3-privacy/index.shtml

February 08

Surveillance Studies Network. UK Based

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Surveillance Studies Network

A UK based educational charity dedicated to the study of all aspects of surveillance in modern society. Its website provides information on its aims and membership. It includes access to associated full text papers and reports and details about is journal Surveillance & Society. Topics covered include the surveillance society, the personal privacy, the regulation and politics of the Internet, CCTV and surveillance. From Intute.ac.uk
http://www.surveillance-studies.net/

January 07

2007 International Privacy Ranking

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The 2007 International Privacy Ranking
Source: Privacy International

Summary of key findings

  • The 2007 rankings indicate an overall worsening of privacy protection across the world, reflecting an increase in surveillance and a declining performance o privacy safeguards.
  • Concern over immigration and border control dominated the world agenda in 2007. Countries have moved swiftly to implement database, identity and fingerprinting systems, often without regard to the privacy implications for their own citizens
  • The 2007 rankings show an increasing trend amongst governments to archive data on the geographic, communications and financial records of all their citizens and residents. This trend leads to the conclusion that all citizens, regardless of legal status, are under suspicion.
  • The privacy trends have been fueled by the emergence of a profitable surveillance industry dominated by global IT companies and the creation of numerous international treaties that frequently operate outside judicial or democratic processes.
  • Despite political shifts in the US Congress, surveillance initiatives in the US continue to expand, affecting visitors and citizens alike.
  • Surveillance initiatives initiated by Brussels have caused a substantial decline in privacy across Europe, eroding protections even in those countries that have shown a traditionally high regard for privacy.
  • The privacy performance of older democracies in Europe is generally failing, while the performance of newer democracies is becoming generally stronger.
  • The lowest ranking countries in the survey continue to be Malaysia, Russia and China. The highest-ranking countries in 2007 are Greece, Romania and Canada.
  • The 2006 leader, Germany, slipped significantly in the 2007 rankings, dropping from 1st to 7th place behind Portugal and Slovenia.
  • In terms of statutory protections and privacy enforcement, the US is the worst ranking country in the democratic world. In terms of overall privacy protection the United States has performed very poorly, being out-ranked by both India and the Philippines and falling into the “black” category, denoting endemic surveillance.
  • The worst ranking EU country is the United Kingdom, which again fell into the “black” category along with Russia and Singapore. However for the first time Scotland has been given its own ranking score and performed significantly better than England & Wales.
  • Argentina scored higher than 18 of the 27 EU countries.
  • Australia ranks higher than Slovakia but lower than South Africa and New Zealand.

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