Friday, March 11, 2005

Ireland sneak data retention into law

The Irish parliament have sneaked 3-year data retention requirements for telcos into their new criminal justice act, according to Privacy International.

Having failed to drive through data retention proposals at EU level for telecommunications companies during their recent presidency, "Bertie and the boys," as the Irish government are affectionately known in my native land, have nevertheless decided to set an example for their neighbours by doing so at home. Given the current "who can stay awake the longest to change the constitution and look tough-on-terrorists" games in the UK, the Blair government could learn a lot from the slick machiavellian political shenanigans of their counterparts on the other side of the Irish sea.

Watch out for the rush to "harmonise" with Ireland on data retention.

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