Freedom Not Fear
Madrid, 11 September 2010 – Access Info Europe participated in the European Action “Freedom Not Fear” with a street action to raise people’s awareness of increased surveillance and data retention. The action will also inform the public that Spain is one of the most secretive countries in Europe with a state secrets law approved in 1968 by General Franco which has never been repealed and no access to information law.
Access Info will also be filing requests with the government for information about the data retention directive and how it is being applied in Spain. Access Info wants to know how many times retained data has been accessed in the last year by the law enforcement authorities in Spain. More informatin (in Spanish) here.
The Freedom not Fear movement is demanding:
- Cutbacks on surveillance measures
- Evaluation of existing surveillance powers
- Moratorium on new surveillance powers
- Ensure freedom of expression, dialogue and information on the Internet
1. Cutbacks on surveillance measures
- • abolition of the blanket logging of our communication and locations (data retention)
- • abolition of the blanket collection of our biometric data as well as RFID passports
- • protection from surveillance at the workplace by introducing effective labour data protection laws
- • no permanent student ID numbers
- • no handing over of personal information without cause; no European wide standardized state run collection of information (Stockholm Program)
- • no systematic surveillance of monetary transactions or any other mass data analysis within the EU (Stockholm Program)
- • no information exchange with the US or any other state lacking effective data protection laws
- • abolition of permanent CCTV camera surveillance and ban of all behavioral detection techniques
- • no blanket registration of passengers traveling with airlines or by boat (PNR data)
- • no secret searches of private computer systems, neither online nor offline
- • no introduction of the e-health insurance card in the presently planned form
- • no systematic surveillance of financial transactions data or similar mass data analysis in the EU (SWIFT)
- • no blanket registration of all air and sea travellers (PNR data)
- • no automated registration of vehicle number plates and locations
- • no secret searches of private computer systems, neither online nor offline
2. Evaluation of existing surveillance powers
We call for an independent review of all existing surveillance powers as to their effectiveness, proportionality, costs, harmful side-effects and alternative solutions. We particularly call on the European parliament to immediately re-evaluate existing and planned projects on interior security that restrict fundamental rights of the people in Europe.
3. Moratorium on new surveillance powers
Following the “arms race” in security measures over the past few years, we demand an immediate stop to new interior security laws that further restrict civil liberties.
4. Ensure freedom of expression, dialogue and information on the Internet
- • safeguard net neutrality with binding laws
- • keep the Internet free, unfiltered and uncensored, without blocking lists or pre-publication controls, neither by state institutions nor by Internet service providers
- • no Internet disconnection policies (“three strikes”, “graduated response”)
- • outlaw installation of filtering infrastructures on ISP networks
- • content deletion must require an order by an independent and impartial judge, the right to legal recourse must be ensured
- • establish a digital Human Rights Charter for the 21st century, with global protections of digital civil rights
- • introduction of an unlimited right to quote multimedia content, which nowadays is indispensable for public debate in democracies
- • protection of internet platforms for preserving the free expression of opinion (participatory websites, forums, comments on blogs etc.), which nowadays is threatened by inadequate laws encouraging self-censorship (chilling effect)