Blog | DRI
Irish government intervenes in Microsoft data access case
The US government is trying to force Microsoft demanding that it turn over user emails held in its Dublin facilities based on a US search warrant. The government of Ireland has now intervened in the case, filing an amicus curiae brief with the Court. It has raised issues …
DRI chosen as an EFF Counter Surveillance Success Story
We’re delighted that our victory against the Data Retention Directive has been chosen by the Electronic Frontier Foundation as one of their examples of a Counter Surveillance Success Story. From the UK defeat of the Snooper’s Charter to pushback in Chile against illegal police demands, …
We need your help to keep working for European digital rights in 2014
2013 was a big year for digital rights and for Digital Rights Ireland in particular. We had a major success with our case against mass surveillance which led to an Advocate-General’s opinion that the Data Retention Directive is incompatible with the European Charter of Fundamental …
Innovation, Information and the Internet: Modernising Copyright Law
DRI is organising a conference on copyright reform this Friday (21st October) and would encourage anyone with an interest in the topic to attend. The event is free and you can register online at http://www.dublincopyrightconference.com/. Full details: Innovation, Information and the Internet: Modernising Copyright Law …
FOI shows Department of Justice planning internet blocking for Ireland
In January we filed a Freedom of Information Request with the Department of Justice asking for all documents dealing with internet blocking by ISPs. Last month the response came back – refusing access to almost every internal document! Sometimes, however, it can be informative to …
“Retention of Data Bill is an unbelieveable farce”
They’re not our words (though we’d agree) but those of Adrian Weckler writing in the Sunday Business Post. Here’s an excerpt: Unbelievable. That is the only word to describe the loophole that the new Retention of Data bill has created. For those who missed it, …
Thoughts on the new Data Retention Bill
The Communications (Retention of Data) Bill 2009, published last week, has caused a bit of a stir in this morning’s newspapers. It will give effect to EU Data Retention Directive 2006/24/EC of 15 March 2006 (blogged here) which recently survived challenge by the Irish Government …
“If you’ve nothing to hide, you’ve nothing to fear”
Speaking on the Last Word with Matt Cooper earlier today FF TD Niall Collins trotted out that old canard – “if you’ve nothing to hide, you’ve nothing to fear” – in relation to the new data retention bill. Curiously, when asked if he’d be happy …
Why Ireland needs a data breach warning law
This piece appeared in the Sunday Business Post recently summarising why we think it’s time you had a right to be told if your personal information is lost or stolen. Here’s an excerpt: In the last year alone, multiple cases have come to light: notably …
Data Retention Bill to be published today
Several Irish sources are reporting (Irish Times | Examiner) that the Data Retention Bill will be published today and will seek to establish a two year retention period for phone records, with one year for email and internet traffic. More details as they emerge. Oops …
Complaint to European Commission over Irish Interception Laws
You might have noticed that we think that Irish data retention laws are an invasion of our privacy. Unfortunately Irish law on interception of communications also fails to protect our privacy – and for that reason we’ve lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission, …
Music industry pushing for internet filtering as well as “three strikes” – what can you do about it?
Looks like we got it wrong. When we wrote about the deal between Eircom and the music industry we believed (as the early reports seemed to say) that it only involved a “three strikes” system and that the daft notion of internet filtering was off …