Is your location personal information?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Nick Pickles Posted in Civil Liberties, Europe, Information Commissioner, International, Mobile Phones, Privacy, Technology | 3 Comments

Last week we raised the issue of Foot Path, technology used in shopping centres to monitor the movement of people’s mobile phones. No personal information is being collected, but there are clear privacy issues with your movements being recorded without any kind of direct permission or opt-out. In a similar way to Foot Path, the satalite navigation provider Tom Tom say they “anonymise, aggregate and redistribute [location data], to make everyone’s journeys faster and more predictable.” However, the Dutch Data … →

Aberdeen Council wants to see your visitors

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Nick Pickles Posted in CCTV, Councils, Privacy | 10 Comments

At the end of 2011, Big Brother Watch brought you news of Newham Council’s efforts to introduce a register of every visitor to some tower blocks in the borough. The Sun dubbed it the ‘sex snoop’ list. Now Aberdeen Council has gone one step further and introduced a video system that gives staff first sight of every visitor to properties. Previously – as is the case in countless properties across the country – the system connected the person at the … →

Shopper snooping or innocent monitoring?

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Nick Pickles Posted in Mobile Phones, Surveillance, Technology | 11 Comments

Before Christmas, US Senator Charles Schumer publicly criticised the use of technology tracking shoppers around busy shopping centres, saying: “A shopper’s personal cell phone should not be used by a third party as a tracking device by retailers who are seeking to determine holiday shopping patterns. Personal cell phones are just that — personal. If retailers want to tap into your phone to see what your shopping patterns are, they can ask you for your permission to do so.” People … →

Nine in Ten TFL CCTV cameras fail to solve a single crime

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Nick Pickles Posted in CCTV, Civil Liberties, Research and reports | 12 Comments

Londoners are among the most surveyed people anywhere in the world, captured by cameras in nearly every aspect of their daily lives. Some reports have estimated that Britain is home to as many as 20% of the world’s total CCTV cameras. In November 2011 Transport for London announced it was looking to spend between £20m and £60m on its CCTV capability. Research published today by Big Brother Watch casts serious doubt on whether that investment will do anything to reduce … →

Has anyone seen Mr Bond’s laptop?

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Nick Pickles Posted in Data Protection | Leave a comment

The Foreign and Commenwealth office is responsible for the interests and security of British people across the world, but is not immune to data protection wobbles. Having initially refused our Freedom of Information Request ont the grounds of national security, the FCO has now admitted thirteen incidents where data was lost over the past three years. Information lost included passport applications, payroll details, video interviews and medical records. One incident in Madrid involveda copy of a passport application and corresponding … →

Civil liberties begins at home

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Nick Pickles Posted in Civil Liberties, Councils, Protection of Freedoms Bill | 5 Comments

As highlighted in Big Brother Watch’s report Barging In, there are tens of thousands of people working in local authorities who have the power to enter your home without a warrant. The Government pledged to address this issue, reversing the ‘intrusive’ powers introduced under the last Government. Writing on Conservative Home today, I argue that the Government is wrong to oppose amendments to the Protection of Freedoms Bill which would protect homeowners. “Conservatives have led the debate to give people … →

Government by the media, of the media and for the media?

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Nick Pickles Posted in Data Protection, Information Commissioner, Privacy | Leave a comment

During 2011 Big Brother Watch has continued to highlight the risks to privacy posed by the potential misuse of personal information held by both the public and private sector. Our reports into the police, NHS and local government have been the most thorough examination of public sector data protection breaches ever undertaken. We are in agreement with the Information Commissioner and the House of Commons Justice Select Committee that the potential harm of personal information being abused or stolen warrants … →

Sign-in or stay out say Newham Council

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Nick Pickles Posted in Home | 6 Comments

It’s already been dubbed the ‘sex snoop list’ and residents are up in arms. Newham Council’s decision to force residents to sign-in every visitor to their property in 30 tower blocks is a clear invasion of privacy and an entirely misguided response to a problem. The policy was announced with less than 24 hours notice and staff are being asked to refuse entry to visitors who don’t sign in. Ridiculously, the council say it’s for fire safety and to combat … →

I’m an occupier, not a terorrist

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Nick Pickles Posted in Civil Liberties, Olympics, Police, Terrorism Legislation | 4 Comments

Whatever you may think of the Occupy movement and their methods, it’s fair to say they’re not Al Qaeda. Not unless you’re City of London police that is. In a new briefing on domestic terrorism and extremism threats to City businesses, the force has listed the Occupy movement alongside threats posed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), Al Qaeda and Belarusian terrorists. You can read the letter for yourself by clicking on the image to the right of … →

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