By Simon Davies There are dozens of reasons why any smart Netizen might want to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service. These facilities allow you to enjoy an online Level Playing Field, avoiding censorship and dodging bad players such as trackers and malicious hackers. The idea is simple. A VPN will mask your location …
Read More...Category Archive: Communications surveillance
How law enforcement cooperates – and what we should do about it
In the second part of a two-part series, Simon Davies examines the ongoing controversy over arrangements for exchange of information and judicial process between nations. Last week, the European Parliament approved a new Umbrella Agreement to protect personal information that is passed between the law enforcement authorities in the EU and the US. It’s a …
Read More...Privacy in the Cloud is on the edge
Over the past two years, the US and UK governments have been aggressively moving to further undermine privacy protection for access to data in the Cloud. In the first of a two-part series, Simon Davies reports on a landmark US case being contested by Microsoft and a secret trans-Atlantic law enforcement access deal. In the …
Read More...Warrantless mass surveillance? Bring it on! I’m all the way with Theresa May…
By Simon Davies My colleagues in the privacy realm should think twice before attacking the fledgling British Prime Minister, Theresa May, over her plan to introduce sweeping new surveillance laws. I personally think she’s a very courageous woman and deserves some kudos. And she has nice hair. I mean, no sooner were the Tory Party’s …
Read More...The inside scoop on the real story behind Britain’s new surveillance law
By Simon Davies Amidst thunderous applause, UK Home Secretary Theresa May today launched the government’s long-awaited draft mass surveillance law. The “Protect Britain from Nasty People” bill (PBNP) has been heralded as a triumph of spin management. Its publication was preceded by a series of publicly funded games and sporting spectacles, all aimed at convincing …
Read More...Code Red launches one of the world’s most ambitious anti surveillance projects
By Simon Davies The new global privacy advocacy group Code Red has launched one of the most ambitious human rights projects in recent years. After three years of planning, the group – which involves many of the world’s most renowned figures in the tech, whistleblower, legal, activist and policy communities – has commenced construction of …
Read More...A Denmark-based initiative could be the most strategically potent step yet for privacy rights
By Simon Davies COPENHAGEN Rights campaigners, legal experts, journalists and officials from a range of local professional bodies met yesterday in Copenhagen to map out an innovative Denmark-based initiative aimed at forcing politicians and government officials to speak the truth when they propose intrusive security and policing measures. The event was driven by concerns that …
Read More...Five actions individual citizens can take against security agencies
By Simon Davies One irony of the storm over the NSA and other security agencies is that many people hope the matter will be resolved by the very institutions that nurtured the problems in the first place. There’s a largely misplaced trust that government and judicial systems have the ability – and the will – …
Read More...Why the UK GCHQ unlawful spying ruling may force president Obama to take action
By Simon Davies Last week, a British court ruled that UK spy agencies had acted unlawfully by partnering with the NSA in conducting mass surveillance through the use of covert interception programmes such as PRISM. Make no mistake. Despite the bravado-ridden response of the British government to this ruling, the national security ground has shifted …
Read More...Google’s claim that it fought the Wikileaks gagging order just doesn’t add up
By Simon Davies Google’s claim that it fought the gagging provisions of a federal handover request for detailed information on three Wikileaks staff is not only wholly disingenuous, it’s also deceptive. Since the issuing of that demand in early 2012, it took almost three years before Google finally admitted to WikiLeaks that it handed over …
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