About Privacy International 07/12/2007

Privacy International (PI) is a human rights group formed in 1990 as a watchdog on surveillance and privacy invasions by governments and corporations. PI is based in London, England, and has an office in Washington, D.C. We have campaigned across the world to protect people against intrusion by governments and corporations that seek to erode this fragile right. We believe that privacy forms part of the bedrock of freedoms, and our goal has always been to use every means to preserve it. For more information please click here. To donate to PI please click here.

Top News

Privacy International Releases its 2008 Annual Report 21/12/2008
The 2008 Annual report reviews PI's activities and goals for the past year, and discusses our sources of funding, and potential projects for the new year. In 2008 our core activities can be grouped into three domains: Advancing and Protecting Privacy and Transparency Rules, Engaging with International Institutions and Processes, and Monitoring Anti-Terrorism Policies and other forms of Exceptional Surveillance.

European Court Rules DNA Retention Illegal 04/12/2008
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has unanimously ruled that the UK law that allows the permanent retention of DNA profiles and samples violates Article 8 (protection of private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights as being disproportionate. It observed that the protection afforded by Article 8 of the Convention would be unacceptably weakened if the use of modern scientific techniques in the criminal-justice system were allowed at any cost and without carefully balancing the potential benefits of the extensive use of such techniques against important private-life interests. Privacy International intervened in the case.

Review of Draft Moldovan State Secrets Act 27/11/2008
Privacy International has reviewed the draft State Secrets Acts currently being considered by the Moldovan Parliament. The review finds that the draft continues the excessive secrecy of the current policies and in many areas, expands secrecy. It does introduce some modest improvements including better defining the categories of secrets and the inclusion of the public interest test. Overall, the adoption of the bill would represent a step backwards rather than making the system of secrets more open, efficient and accountable. The review was conducted for the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

New Report on Counter-Terrorism and Freedom of the Media 25/11/2008
A new report conducted by Privacy International for the Council of Europe Media and Information Society Division reveals effects of new counter-terrorism laws on media and free expression rights in European countries. The report “Speaking of Terror” examines how the “war on terror” has affected access to information, the growth of incitement, glorification and “extremism” restrictions on speech, blocking of internet sites, increased surveillance of journalists and limits on protection of journalists’ sources.

Key PI Resources

Leading surveillance societies in the EU and the World 2007 28/12/2007

Privacy International's rankings of privacy protection around the world.

Overview of Privacy 17/12/2007
Privacy is a fundamental human right. It underpins human dignity and other values such as freedom of association and freedom of speech. It has become one of the most important human rights of the modern age. Here we review this essential human right.

News and Developments

PI explains risks to census data by using U.S. contractor without strong protections 28/02/2008
Privacy International has briefed the UK House of Commons Treasury subcommittee on the risks to UK census data if a company with a U.S. data centre is called on to run the census. Under weak U.S. laws on safeguarding personal information, the UK census data could be abused without any knowledge of the UK government.

EU to announce fingerprinting for all visitors 12/02/2008
The European Commission is about to announce the compulsory fingerprinting of all visitors to the EU, both visa holders and non-visa holders, along with automated border checks of EU nationals through the analysis of fingerprints and facial scans.

PI warns that breaches are leading to collapse of public trust in IT systems 20/01/2008
Privacy watchdog warns that data security failures may create imminent collapse of public trust in IT systems and commerce.

PI Reports

Privacy International reports on Asia-Pacific privacy process 23/04/2008
PI participated in meetings regarding the APEC Privacy Framework. In this report, PI summraises and analyses the results of the Peru meeting in February 2008.

PI presentation to Asia-Pacific meeting 23/02/2008
PI participated in the APEC privacy subgroup meeting in Peru. Our presentation outlined the challenges, procedures, and alternatives.

A Race to the Bottom - Privacy Ranking of Internet Service Companies 09/06/2007
This report has been prepared by Privacy International following a six-month investigation into the privacy practices of key Internet based companies. AOL, Apple, Facebook, Hi5, Reunion.com, Windows Live Space, and Yahoo! are identified as companies with policies and techniques that pose substantial threats to privacy, while Google is outed as being 'hostile to privacy'.

Maps

Global Freedom of Information Map 06/12/2008 Map of 140+ countries that have adopted or are in the process of adopting comprehensive freedom of information acts. (Last updated December 2008)

Campaigns

Wanted Poster! A call for the UK Prime Minister's fingerprints 06/04/2008

Privacy International and the UK's NO2ID have launched a campaign to show the dangers of the collection of fingerprints into central government databases. We are offering a reward for the first person to collect and submit the UK Prime Minister's and Home Secretary's fingerprints. See the graphic for more information.

Heathrow buries passenger fingerprinting scheme 26/03/2008
Following Privacy International's recent complaint to the Information Commissioner, the British Airports Authority has announced that it will suspend fingerprinting operations in Heathrow terminals.

PI responds to Ontario Privacy Commissioner ruling on CCTV 03/03/2008
Privacy International is dismayed by a number of findings in the report by the Ontario Information & Privacy Commissioner into our complaint over the mass installation of surveillance cameras by TTC.

PI Launches 'And Who are You?' campaign to protect individuals against fraud 11/01/2008
When companies and government departments contact you by phone they always require you to identify yourself. But how do you know who’s on the other end of the line? Is it really your mobile phone provider, or are you about to become a victim of a malicious identity attack? Privacy International launches a campaign to combat identity theft by calling on companies and government agencies to give consumers more control over their personal information.

PI leads coalition of organisations against Japanese Government plans for fingerprinting at border 19/11/2007
Today, in a coalition with Japanese groups, Privacy International delivered a letter to the Japanese Minister of Justice to protest against the implementation of a fingerprinting system and face-scanning system at its borders. All visitors and many foreign residents to Japan will be fingerprinted under this plan. Our letter to the Minister is endorsed by 68 organisations from 30 countries.

PI files complaint about online DNA genealogical testing firm 22/10/2007
The leading online genealogical site Ancestry.com has embarked on a new service offering to test the DNA of its customers. This commercial service has been provided to assist genealogical tracing through familial lines. However there are a number of troubling questions that Privacy International believes must be resolved before people can have confidence in this new service. Until these questions have been satisfactorily answered, we believe the service presents a number of substantial dangers for customers.

PI Meets with Internet Companies 02/10/2007
Following from our internet privacy campaigns, Privacy International organised a meeting with leading online companies to discuss a range of privacy issues.