New privacy protections needed (EC report)

The European Commission released a 190-page report yesterday on "Security and Privacy for the Citizen in the Post-September 11 Digital Age: A Prospective Overview." The balance between privacy and security which is essential for democracy is being upset by the combination of terrorism-fighting actions, hasty changes in law, and emerging technologies, the report notes. The longer-term impact on privacy rights of three broadly-defined technologies are explored: "Identity Management Systems, Location based Services and Ambient Intelligence." The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, which wrote the report for the European Parliament's Committee on Citizens Freedoms and Rights, tried to identify areas where legal action may be needed to head off foreseeable problems. "Later this month, the EU head office will propose electronic privacy legislation that officials said will address some of the concerns enumerated in the study," according to an Associated Press article. Simon Davies, head of Privacy International, told AP's reporter, "I would hope that the EU would use this report as an opportunity to re-establish its pre-eminence in the field of protection of privacy." IPTS's report can be downloaded here.