Blog | DRI
UK security breach shows why data retention must be stopped
From the Irish Times: Britain’s prime minister Gordon Brown and chancellor Alistair Darling were left reeling last night after the astonishing disclosure that the personal data of 25 million people and 7.25 million families across the UK has been lost. The Metropolitan Police are now …
Even more social welfare leaks
Today’s Irish Independent has details of yet another case of a civil servant in the Department of Social and Family Affairs selling personal information to the media. As before, there is no evidence of any official inclination to take these cases seriously – the offender …
Yet more social welfare leaks
Today’s Irish Independent reveals still more leaks from the Department of Family and Social Affairs, along with information that the leaks were used by criminals to target their victims. As we’ve said before, there is a systematic problem of staff in public bodies abusing sensitive …
Safeguards needed for CCTV systems
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan today announced more funding for community CCTV schemes. Unfortunately these schemes still fail to comply with basic safeguards recommended by the Law Reform Commission nearly ten years in its 1998 Report on Privacy. Experience in other jurisdictions have shown that …
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 …
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 …