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EU Seeks New Powers To Obtain Data 'Directly' From Tech Firms (zdnet.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the streamlined-access dept.

Zack Whittaker reports via ZDNet: European authorities are seeking new powers to allow police and intelligence agencies to directly obtain user data stored on the continent by U.S. tech companies. The move comes in the wake of an uptick in terrorist attacks, including several attacks in Britain and France, among others across the bloc. Tech companies have been asked to do more to help law enforcement, while police have long argued the process for gathering data overseas is slow and cumbersome. The bloc's justice commissioner, Vera Jourova, presented several plans to a meeting of justice ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday to speed up access for EU police forces to obtain evidence -- including one proposal to allow police to obtain data "directly" from the cloud servers of U.S. tech companies in urgent cases. "Commissioner Jourova presented at the Justice Council three legislative options to improve access to e-evidence," said Christian Wiga, an EU spokesperson, in an email. "Based on the discussion between justice ministers, the Commission will now prepare a legislative proposal," he added. Discussions are thought to have included what kind of data could be made available, ranging from geolocation data to the contents of private messages. Such powers would only be used in "emergency" situations, said Jourova, adding that safeguards would require police to ensure that each request is "necessary" and "proportionate." Further reading: Reuters

7 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. 'Emergency' indeed by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Now all you need is to declare a never-ending 'state of emergency' and you can take whatever you want from whomsoever you want, whenever you want, and shoot anyone in the face who gets in your way.

    1. Re:'Emergency' indeed by Richard_at_work · · Score: 2

      The UKs National Threat Level has been at "severe or "critical" for 9 of the last 11 years. We are already in the midst of a never ending emergency, the UK government would *love* this...

    2. Re:'Emergency' indeed by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 2

      Where do you think I got the idea from? it's the backdoor way of instituting an authoritarian/dictatorship government. Constant state of emergency. Police state. Later, curfews, and shootings if you're out when you're not allowed to be. Doors kicked in. Black bags over peoples' heads. Police in full jackbooted-thug mode. Go watch V For Vendetta again for a full explanation.

  2. Before you act outraged... by 110010001000 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Before you start shouting, consider that these tech companies are using your data and selling and sharing it to anyone they want. So just stop. You should be more concerned that the data exists in the first place.

    1. Re:Before you act outraged... by Hentes · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If that was true, the police could just buy the dataset without any need for legislation. But user data is too valuable for tech companies to directly sell it. Instead, they sell all sorts services built on top of the data. For example, you can post an ad on Google or Facebook that only working class middle aged red-haired women with breast cancer and a passion for model railways can see, but you won't know who those people actually are.

  3. possible futures. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Possible futures:

    (a) Because terrorism / the children, the internet finishes dying as a means of free, open, un-censored and un-surveilled communication between human beings. All communication happens on a handful of central services subject to pressure from governments all around the world.

    (b) People learn to communicate without centralization, using strong encryption, as the standard form of online socialization. No one in the middle gets to see, profit from, or surveil the plain-text.

    1000000:1 odds on (a).

  4. Quick, who do we blame? by locater16 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Oh no, another terrorist attack and people expect US to do something to stop them! Quick, who can we deflect the blame to? The internet, of course. It's all their fault,terrorists never existed before the internet. Or something. Assistant boy, to the press release!