Say no to a mobile phone register
DRI opposes Government proposals to introduce mandatory registration of mobile phones. These proposals will infringe on the privacy of every mobile phone user, as well as being expensive, impracticable and ineffective. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s what the Department …
Welfare Records Leaked to Insurers
Yesterday’s Sunday Times has details of an investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner into leaking of social welfare details to the insurance industry. The text isn’t available online but an excerpt follows: Welfare Records Leaked to Insurers Colin Coyle Civil servants in the Department of …
RTÉ’s This Week on Mobile Phone Tracking
The Rachel O’Reilly murder trial has focused attention on the use of mobile phone tracking. RTÉ’s This Week programme has a segment on the risks of tracking and data retention with contributions from the Data Protection Commissioner and DRI. …
Gardaí investigated for selling access to case files
There appears to be an ongoing problem with a minority of Gardaí abusing their position by selling or leaking confidential information. The most recent episode involves allegations that Gardaí have been illegally supplying information to insurance companies. The Sunday Tribune has an update: NEARLY 50 …
23 Filesharers to be Identified – But Concerns Remain
The “fight against piracy” trundles along with news that IRMA have obtained another High Court order requiring ISPs to identify 23 subscribers who are accused of filesharing. As usual, we can’t condone illegal filesharing (though we should point out that this is just one of …
What you should ask when politicians call
Now that you’re likely to find a politician on your doorstep, it’s a good time to raise issues you think are important. Antoin has put up a guide to questions you might like to ask your candidates: You should ask your candidate where they stand …
Copycrime Directive – Update
The Copycrime Directive (IPRED2) has passed its first reading in the European Parliament. However, the vote was much closer than anticipated, and there are signs that some member states are beginning to have second thoughts about the Directive. The Directive still has a long way …
Tell your MEP to vote no to the Copycrime Directive
Next week – on Tuesday 24th April – the European Parliament will vote on a directive that would turn many breaches of copyright into criminal offences. This directive (with the catchy name of IPRED2) is dangerously wide. EFF Europe has explained why: IPRED2 and Business …
A helpful ECHR decision for our data retention case – Copland v. UK
The European Court of Human rights gave a decision earlier this month in Copland v. UK which will be very helpful to us in arguing our data retention case. Ms. Copland worked in a Welsh college as a personal assistant, and discovered that the college …
Data Retention Case – Government still unwilling to put in their defence
A while ago we explained that the reason why you hadn’t heard more about the data retention case was that the State defendants were sitting on their hands and had failed to put in their defence as required by law. Our legal team brought them …
TD requests phone tap investigation
RTÉ News reports that Dr. Jerry Cowley, Independent TD for Mayo, is to ask the complaints referee to investigate apparent official tapping of his telephone: The independent Mayo TD Jerry Cowley has called for an investigation to establish if his phone is being tapped by …
Fine Gael Concerns about Phone Tapping
The Irish Independent reports that Fine Gael share our concern about accountability in the phone tapping system: JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday refused to reveal the number of phones taps he has authorised during his time in office. Although bugged phone conversations cannot be used …
