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posted by janrinok on Thursday April 30 2015, @10:47AM   Printer-friendly
from the at-least-somebody-understands-the-problem dept.

Security and privacy are not mutually exclusive says Europe’s privacy watchdog – and people should stop saying they are.

The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), Giovanni Buttarelli, told a Brussels conference he was concerned that “the objective of cyber-security may be misused to justify measures which weaken protection of [data protection] rights.”

“Cyber-security must not become an excuse for disproportionate processing of personal data. Let's not forget that when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last year found the Data Retention Directive to be invalid, one of the reasons was concern about the inadequacy of the data security provisions in the directive,” he continued . Although some commentators interpreted the ECJ ruling to mean that data must be stored within national borders, Buttarelli disagreed.

“Physical location is not the determining factor in security. Rather, it is degree of control, accountability and responsibility which data controllers demonstrate when processing personal information. They must take full responsibility for all the measures they implement, regardless of the technology they use. Responsibility must not vanish in the clouds,” said the newly appointed EDPS. Negotiations on a new Data Protection Regulation are currently underway and Buttarelli says that accountability should not be sacrificed in the inevitable compromise.

 
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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Thursday April 30 2015, @11:04AM

    by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Thursday April 30 2015, @11:04AM (#177032) Journal

    Brit here. You see, for all the bleating and whinging that Europhobic bitches like Neckless Farage produce about the EU taking away our sovereignty and centralising power in Brussels, sometimes it seems to me like the EU politicians are the only ones actually standing up for the best interests of its citizens. I'd rather be represented an honest politician two thousand miles away than a crooked one on my doorstep. Can you imagine anyone from the tories or labour (or anyone with any political clout in any EU country) standing up and saying that we need to take steps to protect privacy? Thought not.

    I for one welcome our banana-straightening [europa.eu] overlords.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @12:53PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @12:53PM (#177053)

    What do the contras have to do with any of this?
    Besides that, you make a valid point though... :)

    • (Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:08PM

      by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:08PM (#177063) Journal

      > What do the contras have to do with any of this?

      Nothing. It's just a way of emphasising that once again, the EU seems to be doing the right thing when almost every other government / political organisation on Earth is determined to act like shitpuppets.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:53PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:53PM (#177076)

        I think the other AC was referring to your misspelling of the word "controversial".

      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by SubiculumHammer on Thursday April 30 2015, @04:19PM

        by SubiculumHammer (5191) on Thursday April 30 2015, @04:19PM (#177143)

        Except for their stupid, ill-designed, static monetary union that is fucking them all over for bankers, but yeah.

  • (Score: 2) by splodus on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:26PM

    by splodus (4877) on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:26PM (#177068)

    I feel the same way. There have been several issues in the past few years; prisoner voting, working hours, livestock, etc. I think a lot of it is that they are not subject to coverage on the news to nearly the same extent as politicians at home.

    If Yvette Cooper made a similar comment you'd have Cameron and May shouting 'Look, Labour want to help the terrorists!!" And the media would lap it up.

  • (Score: 3, Funny) by Thexalon on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:41PM

    by Thexalon (636) on Thursday April 30 2015, @01:41PM (#177071)

    I for one welcome our banana-straightening overlords.

    I'm sure many would have wholeheartedly approved of their (mythical) proposal to limit the volume of bagpipes.

    --
    The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by frojack on Thursday April 30 2015, @09:49PM

    by frojack (1554) on Thursday April 30 2015, @09:49PM (#177275) Journal

    sometimes it seems to me like the EU politicians are the only ones actually standing up for the best interests of its citizens.

    True, it does SEEM that way.
    But to be fair you are talking about the pronouncements of a relatively powerless middle-crat here, who's words were mostly for public consumption. He's not a politician, but rather a political appointee who serves at the pleasure of the European Parliament and the Council. The EDPS is sort of an ombudsman's office, he is supposed to make a big noise. He's even allowed to but in his false teeth while doing so.

    But he has no real power. His own charter says:

    Article 18

    Enforcement

    The EDPS shall enforce data protection obligations using the powers granted in Article 47 of the Regulation. Those powers shall be used to their fullest extent in cases of serious, deliberate or repeated instances of non-compliance.

    But Article 47 only allows the to recommend prosecution [google.com], and the EDPS has been bitchslapped more than once on this score, especially with respect to Finland. (That book costs like $200 and up, so clearly I haven't read the whole history of the office).

    Don't get me wrong. I enjoy your enthusiasm, and wish there was some office in the US with as big of a Bully Pulpit as this office. I just think you read too much into it.

    --
    No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.