EU believes mass surveillance is threat to human rights; thinks more surveillance is the answer

In a novel twist on the surveillance angle, the European Union is unhappy with the Edward Snowden revelations about mass surveillance as well as targeted surveillance of members of the European parliament. The Council of Europe has clearly state that it feels that security agencies in the UK, the USA and elsewhere have overstepped their bounds when it comes to digital monitoring of its own citizens and those of other countries too.

Deeply Concerned Over Snooping in Europe

The rights body have said that they are “deeply concerned” when referring to the numerous and extensive systems of surveillance that have been used and continue to be used. However, their answer to this is to add more of their own surveillance of people coming into and out of the European Union. Huh?

Lack of Accountability The Chief Concern In Europe

Whilst the body feels that individuals have a fundamental right to privacy, freedom of speech and their own choice of religion that they wish to follow, the lack of accountability is the issue here rather than just the sheer amount of data being collected and collated about individuals.

EU Wants Personal Information On All Visitors To Europe

Therefore, the body is suggesting legal oversight by civilian courts, better supervision of those who are data collecting, and clearer rules on what data can be shared. The European parliamentary assembly is currently proposing sweeping changes to how people are treated when entering the European Union. The Guardian newspaper which published many of the Snowden revelations has reported that under the new proposals all passengers flying into Europe will have to provide personal data which can then be stored and accessed for up to five years.

Every New Attack Used To Justify Yet More Surveillance

Following recent terrorism attacks in France and other locations across Europe the move is being seen as a way to get a better handle on exactly who is entering Europe and what their movements are, so as to better isolate the wrongdoers from regular tourists. The call for yet more surveillance, less privacy, fewer privacy expectations and less oversight of the agencies collecting the data was loudest right after a terror event yet the mass collection of personal data from mobile phones is in most cases completely unnecessary.