EFF to UN: You Need a Privacy Watchdog

EFF joined more than sixty civil liberties organizations and public interest groups from across the world yesterday in calling upon the world's governments to support the creation of a United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.

The special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council and serve in their personal capacities. The establishment of a special rapporteur on the right to privacy is a key step that the United Nations can take to ensure that the right to privacy is given meaning and practical application in the light of technological developments. A special rapporteur would play a critical role in developing common understandings and furthering a considered and substantive interpretation of the right to privacy in a variety of settings.

The right to privacy is one of the few civil and political rights without specialist attention from a United Nations mandate holder. Privacy is an independent right, enshrined in a variety of international human rights treaties. There is a pressing need to better articulate the content of this right as part of international human rights law and produce guides on its interpretation, particularly as modern technologies are enabling communications surveillance—and consequent interference with this right—on an unprecedented and damaging scale.

read full article at EFF

Companies should prepare for the EU’s forthcoming Data Protection Regulation

An increase in cyber security attacks across commercial enterprises and service providers, and a consumer market wary of data privacy and protections, provide a backdrop for the forthcoming data privacy rule changes. Companies need to get ready fast, according to consultant Ryan Rubin.

Ryan Rubin is a Managing Director responsible for Security and Privacy IT Consulting at Protiviti, a global consulting firm.

As the European Commission works towards unifying data protection under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), it is imperative that IT professionals familiarise themselves and take the necessary steps to reduce their organisation's exposure to data privacy risks.

read full article at EurActive

TTIP: Transatlantic trade deal text leaked to BBC

A leaked draft of what the European Union wants excluded from a new trade deal with the United States has been obtained by the BBC.

The document describes itself as the EU's "initial offer" in negotiations over the transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP).

It includes the wording that UK ministers have said will protect the NHS from privatisation.

read full article at BBC