It's "1984" in Europe, What About Your Country?

An anonymous reader asks: "A few hours ago, the European parliament accepted a proposal '...on the retention of data processed in connection with the provision of public electronic communication services...'. Summarized: any data (internet connections, traffic, email, file sharing, SMS, phone calls) of 450 million people of Europe has to be collected by telcos, to be used by governments in their fight against 'crime and terrorism' ... oh, and child porn, of course. In Germany, over-the-sea reports are limited and usually do not include the latest developments in law and order, but since Slashdot has readers all over the world, I would like to ask: how is the status of YOUR country in terms of anti-terrorism-laws, observations and such? Any recommendations where one can still live free and unobserved in a non-nanny state?"

Comments

now this isn't in the least bit inflamitory

[Zorgoth]

Let the flaming begin...

Re:Privacy != Freedom && Freedom != Privac

[ka1ser s0ze]

Things are so bad that free speech that "doesn't direct harm" is actually meaningless speech. Or rather, irrelevant speech.

Re:US citizens not interested in Freedom

[Jaysyn]

Most Americans cannot handle personal responsablity, for themselves, or others. Hence the Nanny State we have rapidly evolved into.

BTW you just made my friend list.

Jaysyn

Re:Privacy != Freedom && Freedom != Privac

[lawpoop]

"There is always a plethora of pedantic jackasses on Slashdot. First off- try quoting everything I said and not what you want to cherry pick."

And there is always a bunch of loudmouths who go off half-cocked and say things *that they don't actually mean*.

"Let me restate this in a way that will make you happy- "The government has ABSOLUTELY no right to UNILATERALLY log or monitor the calls of it's citizens."

OK, if that's what you MEAN, then that's what you should TYPE. This is the internet. We can't read your mind, all we have is your words. If you mean "unilaterally" then SAY "unilaterally". We can't know what you mean if you don't type what you mean. You sounded like an extreme libertarian or anarchist, saying that the government *never* listen in on a conversation.