back to article Watch out Facebook, Google – the EU wants easy access to your data

The European Commission is pushing measures that would force tech firms like Facebook and Google to hand over their data to police in different member states. EU justice ministers met in Luxembourg yesterday to consider three proposals, which range from allowing police from one state to ask nicely for data held by companies in …

  1. This post has been deleted by its author

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "...a final proposal by the end of 2017 or early 2018"

    Thereby, before it is approved, GHCQ won't have any access to EU data anymore <G>.

    I don't find this proposal out of touch - inside EU people have freedom of movement (plus Schengen no borders controls) - and that requires more integrated law enforcement agencies to avoid old borders become a way to make crime more difficult to investigate.

    If the France police is investigating someone living just across the border - and planning crime in France, there should be provision in place to ease EU wise investigations - a union can't be just a way to make money more easily - companies can't take advantage of a common market to headquarter in Ireland and Luxembourg and make money everywhere, just to raise their own walls when it becomes a disadvantage.

    Of course, there will be the need to make it working inside each member state legal framework. But being in a union means also some rules need to be applied to the whole union, and some single state sovereignty has to be renounced - and more integration achieved.

    It is different from the US/Ireland issue because Ireland is the EU, not in the US - there's not the equivalent freedom of movement and lack of border controls.

  3. Pen-y-gors

    And how does this help?

    How does giving the fuzz direct access to encrypted data in 'the cloud' help them, assuming the encryption keys are only available to the client?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Big Brother

      Re: And how does this help?

      Exactly... and that's why governments want a 'backdoor' because having access to all our data is just step one...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: And how does this help?

      That's not about user encrypted data - it's about data companies already have (i.e. Facebook profile data, Gmail emals, etc.). Data that are already routinely requested.

      It would avoid - inside the EU only - longer international requests for data among member states. Some checks to avoid such a system to be abused should be in place, of course.

      After all, if telco had to renounce to roaming fees because we are in the same union....

  4. Aladdin Sane

    All your data

    Are belong to us

  5. fishman

    Brexit

    It just gives Brexit fans another reason to leave the EU.

    1. codejunky Silver badge

      Re: Brexit

      @ fishman

      "It just gives Brexit fans another reason to leave the EU."

      Sort of but not quite. Unfortunately we have people here who want to do the same things. But it does remove another attempt of remain fans to claim the EU is better.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Brexit

      Does anyone actually believe that the EU will allow trade without following and adhering to their regulations and rules?

      Strange world this.

      1. codejunky Silver badge

        Re: Brexit

        @AC

        "Does anyone actually believe that the EU will allow trade without following and adhering to their regulations and rules?"

        Do we care? Anyone exporting with any country has to meet the criteria of that country in its exports even with the EU. However being in the EU unfortunately means we are bound locally by the EU's standards while getting out doesnt stop us exporting to the EU, but frees us up in this country at the same time.

    3. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Brexit

      "It just gives Brexit fans another reason to leave the EU."

      Ignoring the fact that our PM has been keen to do this since her Home Sec days which is why we have Brexit in the first place.

      The ECHR might have something to say about this latest proposal.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Brexit

        "The ECHR might have something to say about this latest proposal."

        Mrs May has a plan for that: she'll abolish human rights (and any personal freedoms of which she does not approve)

      2. codejunky Silver badge

        Re: Brexit

        @ Doctor Syntax

        "Ignoring the fact that our PM has been keen to do this since her Home Sec days which is why we have Brexit in the first place."

        We have brexit due to a democratic if heavily rigged vote. But I dont just blame May for this increasing authoritarianism, labour before her did the same and of all parties the lib dems are marginally less authoritarian (excluding their desire to abandon democracy by ignoring the democratic vote) while UKIP (previous election) were much more libertarian.

        Looking through the available parties we dont have much choice, they all want to take our freedom away.

  6. Trigonoceps occipitalis

    " but the EU commission ... "

    Why does the EU Commission want access to my data?

  7. ratfox

    It sure is good that we have the privacy shield, and that the United States cannot spy on our private data, eh?

    Ha ha.

  8. gypsythief

    And that's why...

    ...I've spent the day setting up my own email server, at _my_ house, on _my_ computer, with an ISP who has a Snoopers Charter warrant canary up.

    Slurp that, you bastards.*

    *Although they probably will, as my data potters down BT's backhaul. Oh Hum. Antarctica, anyone?

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "But Jennings asked whether the new proposals could open a backdoor for the US to access such data from member states."

    Well, the Czechs have had an extremely cozy relationship with the Americans since 93 and I must say, I haven't really seen Ms Jourová acting in the same spirit as her predecessors.

  10. T. F. M. Reader

    Poor choice of words

    "...to prohibit us from becoming the next NSA regime...

    I suspect this may not be scary enough for many. I think "to prohibit us from becoming the next KGB regime" is way more appropriate. There is still a difference between the two TLAs, and not just in technological prowess, but it's a slippery slope and I think everybody should have a clear vision of the ultimate goal.

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