NO2 EU TROJAN HORSE

Although the problem of identity cards being inflicted upon the people of the UK has faded away to some degree, the organisation set up to campaign against this assult upon our liberty, No2ID, is still going strong and actively campaigning against other attacks against our freedom and the growth of the data-base state

It has recently reported in a press release that new data protection rules must not be Trojan Horse for yet more data sharing. No2ID has warned that the EU has announced proposals for sweeping changes to data protection law, with a common regulatory framework to apply to the whole continent. Campaign group NO2ID urged caution.

The plans (which may take three years to come into effect and will evolve before they do), make much of stiffer penalties for lost data. But NO2ID points out gains for individuals are limited, while the streamlined‟ regulations could readily lead to more use of personal information – by governments as well as corporations.

Guy Herbert, NO2ID‟s national coordinator, said:
“There‟s much that sounds good in these proposals, but we need to be careful. This is not a privacy law. Small improvements in individual rights are offset by an urge to „boost the digital economy‟ – that is, sell your life – and to make life easier for bureaucrats.

“In particular, the new huge penalties for commercial cock-ups are a distraction. They are the rarity. It is the routine, lawful, intentional, possibly even competent, trafficking in personal information that we have to worry about. More data protection won‟t protect your data from the prying eyes of the database state.”