Reports from the UK Telegraph say British authorities made more than 500,000 requests for confidential communications data in each of the past few years, "equivalent to spying on one in every 78 adults, leading to claims" that Brits "sleepwalked into a surveillance society."
The requests came under an Act allowing law enforcement to gain access to information on individuals who have phoned, emailed, used websites, etc. The legislation was originally enacted for the purpose of combating terrorism and serious crime.
Defenders of the UK Act, like those who tout the Canadian version, say the Act does not allow access to the content of communications, but only the 'traffic' (who you are speaking to, etc.).
The UK example highlights how easy it is for athorities to abuse this type of legislation – in some cases, access powers were used by British authorities to do more than snoop and demonstrates it is indeed a slippery slope. Care is, therefore, required to ensure the proper safeguards are in place before any expansion of police powers is allowed.
See the UK Information Commissioner's full report as well as a breakdown of some of the numbers.
Tales, truth in politics, and other noteworthy stuff
Sunday, 26 June 2011
More mainstream and buried coverage of lawful access legislation:
Globe and Mail Story: the comments on this story are also worth the read:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/tabatha-southey/ottawa-to-contract-out-spying-but-who-cares-its-only-the-internet/article2075104/
Everyone, please sign the petition located at http://openmedia.ca/StopSpying and please ensure you share it with everyone you know, be FB, Hotmail or on Twitter. We have to step up to the plate, raising the signatures on the petition so Harper and Co. know we are serious.
If you want to write to your MP, you can locate them @ http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseofCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC
More information about the Lawful Access is on Maiden Heaven's discussion page called, "Canadian Police State Legislation Needs Closer Examination". You can use a letter she has drawn up. Edit, copy and paste as you will (and if you do edit, please paste the edited letter to the discussion so that others may use it too) It’s located at https://www.facebook.com/openmedia.ca
It is CRITICAL that as many people as possible know about online spying as soon as possible. If people don't understand or seem apathetic, ask them to imagine coming home to find a cop rifling through your home without a warrant, then handing you a bill for their services on their way out the door.
Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have 'Nothing to Hide' – It’s long, but worth the read: http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Privacy-Matters-Even-if/127461/
The government is trying to ram through internet surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to surrender our personal information to "authorities" without a warrant.The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart, along with every provincial and territory Privacy Commissioner, has written of their concerns for the loss of Our privacy under the Lawful access bill. http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2011/let_110309_e.cfm
This bizarre legislation will create Internet surveillance that is:
* Warrantless: A range of "authorities" will have the ability to invade the private lives of law-abiding Canadians and our families using wired Internet and mobile devices, without a warrant or any justification.
* Invasive and Dangerous: The laws leave our personal and financial information less secure and more susceptible to cybercrime.
* Costly: Internet services providers may be forced to install millions of dollars worth of spying technology and the cost will be passed down to YOU.
Meanwhile in other news, we Canucks get to subsidize big oil again
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Feds+Alberta+commit+million+Shell+Scotford+carbon+capture+project/5003331/story.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/tabatha-southey/ottawa-to-contract-out-spying-but-who-cares-its-only-the-internet/article2075104/
Everyone, please sign the petition located at http://openmedia.ca/StopSpying and please ensure you share it with everyone you know, be FB, Hotmail or on Twitter. We have to step up to the plate, raising the signatures on the petition so Harper and Co. know we are serious.
If you want to write to your MP, you can locate them @ http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseofCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC
More information about the Lawful Access is on Maiden Heaven's discussion page called, "Canadian Police State Legislation Needs Closer Examination". You can use a letter she has drawn up. Edit, copy and paste as you will (and if you do edit, please paste the edited letter to the discussion so that others may use it too) It’s located at https://www.facebook.com/openmedia.ca
It is CRITICAL that as many people as possible know about online spying as soon as possible. If people don't understand or seem apathetic, ask them to imagine coming home to find a cop rifling through your home without a warrant, then handing you a bill for their services on their way out the door.
Why Privacy Matters Even if You Have 'Nothing to Hide' – It’s long, but worth the read: http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Privacy-Matters-Even-if/127461/
The government is trying to ram through internet surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to surrender our personal information to "authorities" without a warrant.The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart, along with every provincial and territory Privacy Commissioner, has written of their concerns for the loss of Our privacy under the Lawful access bill. http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2011/let_110309_e.cfm
This bizarre legislation will create Internet surveillance that is:
* Warrantless: A range of "authorities" will have the ability to invade the private lives of law-abiding Canadians and our families using wired Internet and mobile devices, without a warrant or any justification.
* Invasive and Dangerous: The laws leave our personal and financial information less secure and more susceptible to cybercrime.
* Costly: Internet services providers may be forced to install millions of dollars worth of spying technology and the cost will be passed down to YOU.
Meanwhile in other news, we Canucks get to subsidize big oil again
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Feds+Alberta+commit+million+Shell+Scotford+carbon+capture+project/5003331/story.html
Friday, 24 June 2011
Harper government denies the reality of Lawful Access legislation
"The question is not whether abuse would occur, but how widespread such abuse would be," say Angus and Sandhu in their letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, written in response to proposed online spying legislation (Lawful Access):
Lawful Access: NDP MP Charlie Angus' Letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews
Lawful Access: NDP MP Charlie Angus' Letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Stop Online Spying!
OpenMedia for Immediate Release
These bills will hurt your wallet and your privacy
The government is trying to push through an anti-Internet set of electronic surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. They’re calling it "Lawful" Access -- we're calling it warrantless, invasive, costly, and poorly thought out.
The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to surrender our personal information to "authorities" without a warrant.
This bizarre legislation will create Internet surveillance that is:
If enough of us speak out now the government will have no choice but to stop this mandatory online spying scheme.
For the Internet,
Steve, Reilly, Lindsey, Glyn, and Shea -- The OpenMedia.ca Team
PS: OpenMedia.ca depends on the support of Canadians like you to continue our fight for a more open and affordable Internet. Please consider a gift to OpenMedia.ca to help us in our work. Visit http://openmedia.ca/give to chip in.
SOURCES:
The Globe And Mail: Bill C-51 will turn ISPs into Internet gatekeepers
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/digital-culture/dwayne-winseck/bill-c-51-will-turn-isps-into-internet-gatekeepers/article2059908/
TVO’s Search Engine: It's Time to Worry About Lawful Access
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/searchengine/index.cfm?page_id=613&action=blog&subaction=viewpost&blog_id=485&post_id=15829
Michael Geist: Web Surveillance Legislation Requires Study, Not Speed
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/5808/135/
Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Canadian police state legislation needs closer examination
http://blog.privacylawyer.ca/2011/04/canadian-police-state-legislation-needs.html
Letter to Public Safety Canada from Canada's Privacy Commissioners and Ombudspersons on the current 'Lawful Access' proposals
http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2011/let_110309_e.cfm
From Maiden Heaven and others on the OpenMedia.ca Facebook Discussion Boards: Canadian police state legislation needs closer examination
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=173437729758&topic=16926
1424 Commercial Dr.
PO Box #21674
Vancouver, BC, V5L 5G3
These bills will hurt your wallet and your privacy
The government is trying to push through an anti-Internet set of electronic surveillance laws that will invade your privacy and cost you money. They’re calling it "Lawful" Access -- we're calling it warrantless, invasive, costly, and poorly thought out.
The plan is to force every phone and Internet provider to surrender our personal information to "authorities" without a warrant.
This bizarre legislation will create Internet surveillance that is:
- Warrantless: If these bills pass, we're looking at a future where a range of “authorities” will have the ability to invade the private lives of law-abiding Canadians and our families using wired Internet and mobile devices, without any justification.
- Invasive: This is a radical break from existing safeguards and leaves our personal and financial information less secure and more susceptible to cybercrime. Who will ensure that our personal information is not misused or stolen?
- Costly: Internet services providers will be forced to install millions of dollars of spying technology and the cost will be passed down to YOU.
If enough of us speak out now the government will have no choice but to stop this mandatory online spying scheme.
For the Internet,
Steve, Reilly, Lindsey, Glyn, and Shea -- The OpenMedia.ca Team
PS: OpenMedia.ca depends on the support of Canadians like you to continue our fight for a more open and affordable Internet. Please consider a gift to OpenMedia.ca to help us in our work. Visit http://openmedia.ca/give to chip in.
SOURCES:
The Globe And Mail: Bill C-51 will turn ISPs into Internet gatekeepers
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/digital-culture/dwayne-winseck/bill-c-51-will-turn-isps-into-internet-gatekeepers/article2059908/
TVO’s Search Engine: It's Time to Worry About Lawful Access
http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/searchengine/index.cfm?page_id=613&action=blog&subaction=viewpost&blog_id=485&post_id=15829
Michael Geist: Web Surveillance Legislation Requires Study, Not Speed
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/5808/135/
Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Canadian police state legislation needs closer examination
http://blog.privacylawyer.ca/2011/04/canadian-police-state-legislation-needs.html
Letter to Public Safety Canada from Canada's Privacy Commissioners and Ombudspersons on the current 'Lawful Access' proposals
http://www.priv.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2011/let_110309_e.cfm
From Maiden Heaven and others on the OpenMedia.ca Facebook Discussion Boards: Canadian police state legislation needs closer examination
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=173437729758&topic=16926
1424 Commercial Dr.
PO Box #21674
Vancouver, BC, V5L 5G3
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