Government threatened with action over privacy row

2 Nov 2009

The Government is risking being taken to the European Court of Justice if it fails to explain why it is breaching confidentiality rules and risking citizen's privacy.

The European Commission has accused the Government of not properly guaranteeing the confidentiality of people's electronic communications - such as emails and internet browsing.

EU law obliges member states to guarantee this privacy by banning illegal interceptions and surveillance, but the EU said that the rules in the UK "have not been fully put in place in the national law of the UK".

Now the Government has been asked to take action to rectify the situation or justify its failure to do so, or risk being taken to the European Court of Justice.

Linda Weatherhead of Consumer Focus, said: "Our electronic communications are regularly intercepted and used by Government and industry without our consent.

"Privacy has become devalued in the digital world as technology evolves faster than the rights of the people using it."

EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding commented: "I call on the UK authorities to change their national laws to ensure that British citizens fully benefit from the safeguards set out in EU law concerning confidentiality of electronic communications."

The commission acted after launching an inquiry into responses given by the UK authorities to UK citizens' complaints about the use of "behavioural advertising" by internet service providers.

<http://ec.europa.eu/> (European Commission)