Swedish law allows tapping of emails and phone

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Alan

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weden has adopted legislation that will give officials sweeping powers to access all email and telephone traffic within its borders.

The bill was approved in a 143-138 vote this week, prompting protesters to hand out copies of George Orwell's novel 1984 outside parliament. The bill becomes law in January.

Google Inc and Swedish telecom company TeliaSonera AB have called it the most far-reaching eavesdropping plan in Europe. "By introducing these new measures, the Swedish government is following the examples set by governments ranging from China and Saudi Arabia to the US government's widely criticised eavesdropping programme," Google's global privacy counsel, Peter Fleischer, said.

Since the law was proposed in 2005 - in a country known for its democratic principles - critics have claimed it would encroach on privacy and jeopardise civil liberties. Supporters say the legislation is needed to ensure safety against terrorist attacks where advanced technology could be used. The new powers will give Sweden's National Defence Radio Establishment, an intelligence agency, the right to scan all international phone calls, emails and faxes for sensitive keywords without a court order.

Four ministers from the ruling coalition forced changes in the bill at the last minute, hoping they would protect individual privacy. They had threatened to vote against it with the opposition if the additions were not adopted.

But critics say the changes, which include monitoring by independent institutions, do not change the fundamental problems with the law.

Currently, email and phone surveillance requires a court order if police suspect a crime, although the intelligence agency is allowed to spy on airborne signals, such as radio and satellite traffic.
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/20/2

Even Sweden is now a police state eish
 
Indeed! I also thought they were 1 of the most liberal countries around and now this...
 
They are supposedly tapping Russian internet traffic. This has of course also upset the
Danes who are afraid their traffic will be tapped too.
 
alanf85 said:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/20/2

Even Sweden is now a police state eish
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As well as the good 'ol US of A!!

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/14987.cfm

According to new border search policies disclosed by the Department of Homeland Security, federal agents may take your laptop or other media devices for an "unspecified" period of time even without any suspicion of wrongdoing, in an effort to "prevent terrorism."

Additionally, the officials may share any content of the laptop or device with other agencies or private companies for "language translation, data decryption or other reasons."

The policies are dated as of July 16th by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement but the DHS says the policies have been in effect for "some time now."

"The policies . . . are truly alarming," adds Sen. Russell Feingold, a Democrat from Wisconsin who has vowed to look into the new border search policies. Feingold also plans to introduce legislation that will force the government to have "reasonable suspicion" for searches. The legislation will also limit racial and religious profiling during searches.

The policies effect anyone entering the United States, including US citizens. Civil liberties and business travel groups have been pressing for months to have the government disclose publicly these policies, after receiving complaint after complaint from international and US travelers that have had their laptops, iPods and even cell phones taken, sometimes for months at a time.

To quote exactly from the policies, federal officers can "detain any device capable of storing information in digital or analog form for a reasonable period of time" to "review and analyze information." They may do this "absent individualized suspicion."

"Any device capable of storing information in digital or analog form" means anything from iPods, laptops, cell phones and hard drives to, I kid you not, books and "written materials commonly referred to as 'pocket trash' or 'pocket litter.'"

Although there are protections on "business information and attorney-client privileged material" there is no protection on personal data of citizens, including medical or financial records.

"They're saying they can rifle through all the information in a traveler's laptop without having a smidgen of evidence that the traveler is breaking the law," said Greg Nojeim, senior counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff wrote last month in USA Today that "the most dangerous contraband is often contained in laptop computers or other electronic devices." He recalled times where searches have uncovered "violent jihadist materials" and hard drives full of child pornography.

Earlier this year the US Court of Appeals upheld the government's right to conduct searches without any suspicion of illegal wrongdoing.
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Posted by Alanf85: Wow first it's own thread and now a post. Ah the frustrations must be deficult to bear
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Oh shame Alanf85, put a post up and then delete it? Oh why oh why would you do that?

Is it because your land of freedom and liberties has just squashed your dreams up and now its a hard pill to swallow?

Is it because the country that you defend so vehemently has deceived your blind trust and you have realised the errors of your ways?

Shame, those frustrations must be difficult to bear!!
 
No because I'm not in the mood today. I'm trying to behave for a change.
 
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