It’s time to extend the US Privacy Act to EU citizens
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Last summer’s Snowden revelations not only highlighted the urgent need for surveillance reform but also severely damaged relations between the US and Europe.
Google and many other technology companies have urged the US to take the lead and introduce reforms that ensure government surveillance activity is clearly restricted by law, proportionate to the risks, transparent and subject to independent oversight. Sadly, we’ve seen little serious reform to date.
However, the US Government can signal a new attitude when representatives of the European Commission visit Washington DC tomorrow. Right now, European citizens do not have the right to challenge misuse of their data by the US government in US courts -- even though American citizens already enjoy this right in most European countries. It’s why Google supports legislation to extend the US Privacy Act to EU citizens. The Obama Administration has already pledged its support for this change and we look forward to to working with Congress to try and make this happen.
We understand that governments have a duty to protect their citizens. The emergence of ISIS and other new threats have reminded us all of the dangers we face. But the balance in the US and many other countries has tipped too far in favour of the state and away from the rights of the individual — rights that are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
As President Obama recently instructed his Intelligence agencies: “All persons should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their nationality or wherever they might reside, and that all persons have legitimate privacy interests in the handling of their personal information.”
Google and many other technology companies have urged the US to take the lead and introduce reforms that ensure government surveillance activity is clearly restricted by law, proportionate to the risks, transparent and subject to independent oversight. Sadly, we’ve seen little serious reform to date.
However, the US Government can signal a new attitude when representatives of the European Commission visit Washington DC tomorrow. Right now, European citizens do not have the right to challenge misuse of their data by the US government in US courts -- even though American citizens already enjoy this right in most European countries. It’s why Google supports legislation to extend the US Privacy Act to EU citizens. The Obama Administration has already pledged its support for this change and we look forward to to working with Congress to try and make this happen.
We understand that governments have a duty to protect their citizens. The emergence of ISIS and other new threats have reminded us all of the dangers we face. But the balance in the US and many other countries has tipped too far in favour of the state and away from the rights of the individual — rights that are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
As President Obama recently instructed his Intelligence agencies: “All persons should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their nationality or wherever they might reside, and that all persons have legitimate privacy interests in the handling of their personal information.”
Guys, it is not a small problem. And it is not about privacy. Article 15 of Italian constitution says "all communications are SECRET" not only "private": and the same says §10 of German constitution. So if you spy communication, or just read them, you are violating the constitution, and those article are there to prevent the same abuses of Hitler and Mussolini. You can't extend anything, since it would be considered against constitution. BTW, saying the communication is SECRET just means google itself can't read the email of users, since they are a SECRET. And what you write on "terms and conditions" is bullshit, since the Constitution will win ANYWAY on a stupid contract between private entities. Everybody could seize you for a crime, just having the proof an email was read by google employees, just to say.
ReplyDeleteHow does this relate to the existing relevant safe harbour agreement? - http://export.gov/safeharbor/eu/eg_main_018476.asp
ReplyDeleteWould it be just EU citizens or anyone in the world? If you're going to open up the privacy act, why discriminate?
ReplyDelete