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Whose tweet has real power!

category international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press author Thursday March 04, 2010 16:17author by Tweet-Tweet - People press and inclusivenessWho

Is it tweet or twitter? Bear in mind it could also be evidence?

Article that could have very serious repercussions in Ireland.

Derek Scally- Berlin article in the Irish Times March 3rd 2010

The Germans are challenging an EU directive on data retention 'after a law governing its implementation was dismissed as an unconstitutional intrusion"

Where do the Irish people stand? Have they an opinion about this?

Back in 2008 German law required telecommunications companies to retain the data for six months of all citizens' relating to telephone and internet data as called for in an EU directive 2006. This same directive surely must apply to Ireland.

In Germany 35,000 citizens challenged this and the Judges of Germany's Constitutional Courts 'threw out the law yesterday and forced the Government lawyers back to the drawing board'. It goes on to ensure that all data collected to date must be deleted as ruled by the Judges and any further retention awaits the new law conforming to the constitution.

This surely needs urgent regard!

Comments (6 of 6)

Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6
author by V for vendettapublication date Thu Mar 04, 2010 18:08author address author phone

I think the retention period is 3 years in Ireland and Irish people are too ignorant and compliant to stand up against the continual erosion of their civil liberties. Any Garda can get access to a persons emails and as far as I know there were 10,000 such applications in 2008 alone. This is major abuse. You would have no idea that this was happening to you. People need to get clued in on encryption but if my own attempts to get friends to use encryption are anything to go by, not a chance of that. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Here in Ireland, we have completely dozed off on our watch.

author by Ghost hunter - Big Brother publication date Fri Mar 05, 2010 15:57author address author phone

These are strange and intriguing days.

Big Brother is everywhere

D. Ahern is pushing through a database here and I don't know if its passed legislation stage yet but I ask the question where does all this end?

Our human rights must never be seen as a priviledge. It's a Right.

ghost hunter

author by Left Wing - Constitutional Rightspublication date Sun Mar 07, 2010 14:38author address author phone

This is most serious.

Fundamental rights of people is the Right to Privacy. it is not a priviledge. Correct

Let's go back some years to Haughey, to Doherty and the phone tapping; to Bruce Arnold, Geraldine Kennedy and 'phones'. (They won in the High Court). It eventually brought Haughey down.

The year 2010

Gardai and long lens cameras to be found at the Corrib, collecting data on people. Let nobody tell me peoples' files are not been monitored - look at the detail on phone bills, mobiles, landlines etc and these can be abused by Special Branch

left wing

author by Sean O'Morain - Freedom of Speech - Freedoms and Sanctionspublication date Tue Mar 09, 2010 17:04author address author phone

Vendetta: you say data retention could mean 3 years. surely this gives telecommunications companies huge power over individuals and you are right to say this is a contravention of civil liberties. Why are people so non plussed!

Reading the article about the court case in Germany provokes serious consideration. 35,000 Germans will change EU directives if successful, to the power of the State and telecommunications companies to retain data on citizens. Let us not forget in Ireland we are all EU citizens now.

We must ask ourselves also how much data Gardai hold on files on Irish citizens (unknown to them).

example: cannot recall the exact details and when but a person travelled to the US approx. 2 years ago and he was stopped by the American State Forces who had comprehensive data on him. Who provided the data? his offences were 2 parking fines and a public order offence.

Who feeds this process?

author by Sean Garland - Civil Rights and Human Rightspublication date Sat Mar 13, 2010 15:57author address author phone

This is a very interesting topic but it is suprising that nobody seems to be tapping into it especially when we consider recent premature retirements from Government.

35,000 Germans are challenging the EU directive and the courts ordered the records to be deleted from the databases until such time as the German Constitutional court makes a ruling.

Vendetta says data is held for 3 years in Ireland and that basically it is an inept non populist orientated people that are allowing this to happen.

the corrib must merit some consideration. what about the cameras, the you-tube, the buzz etc. etc. retention of data. Who really is in control of communications in Ireland. Do we apply the eu directive that has been questioned by the German courts and if we do, what is the impact or potential impact in criminal and civil cases.

emails are also highly questionable. Who stores the data and where?

concerned citizen

author by Wonderingpublication date Sat Mar 13, 2010 20:31author address author phone

They, the citizens of the UK, which includes the citizens of Northern Ireland of course, are all viewed (in law) as "loyal subjects of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth" are they not?

Consequently, they don't have any indefeasible or inalienable rights do they?

They have whatever rights Her Majesty's Government grants them by way of privileges, depending on the willingness of the "loyal subject" to submit, and to be seen to submit, to her authority (via her Government).

That's my understanding. Am I right or am I wrong?



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