Privacy
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The 2007 International State of Privacy
OVERVIEW
Each year since 1997, the US-based Electronic Privacy Information
Center and the UK-based Privacy International have undertaken what
has now become the most comprehensive survey of global privacy ever
published. The Privacy & Human Rights Report surveys developments
in 70 countries, assessing the state of surveillance and privacy
protection.
The most recent report published in 2007, available at
<http://www.privacyinternational.org/phr> and may be purchased
in book form through EPIC's website <http://epic.org/phr06/>,
is probably the most comprehensive single volume report published in
the human rights field. The report runs over 1,100 pages and includes
6,000 footnotes. More than 200 experts from around the world have
provided materials and commentary. The participants range from
eminent privacy scholars to high-level officials charged with
safeguarding constitutional freedoms in their countries. Academics,
human rights advocates, journalists and researchers provided reports,
insight, documents and advice. In 2006 Privacy International took the
decision to use this annual report as the basis for a ranking
assessment of the state of privacy in all EU countries together with
eleven non-EU benchmark countries. Funding for the project was
provided by the Open Society Institute (OSI) and the Joseph Rowntree
Reform Trust. Follow this link for more details of last year's
results.
The new 2007 global rankings extend the survey to 47 countries
(from the original 37) and, for the first time, provide an
opportunity to assess trends.
The intention behind this project is two-fold. First, we hope to
recognize countries in which privacy protection and respect for
privacy is nurtured. This is done in the hope that others can learn
from their example. Second we intend to identify countries in which
governments and privacy regulators have failed to create a healthy
privacy environment. The aim is not to humiliate the worst ranking
nations, but to demonstrate that it is possible to maintain a healthy
respect for privacy within a secure and fully functional
democracy...
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS
(Please note that "worst ranking" and "lowest ranking" denotes
countries that exhibit poor privacy performance and high levels of
surveillance.)
- The 2007 rankings indicate an overall worsening of privacy
protection across the world, reflecting an increase in
surveillance and a declining performance o privacy
safeguards.
- Concern over immigration and border control dominated the
world agenda in 2007. Countries have moved swiftly to implement
database, identity and fingerprinting systems, often without
regard to the privacy implications for their own citizens
- The 2007 rankings show an increasing trend amongst governments
to archive data on the geographic, communications and financial
records of all their citizens and residents. This trend leads to
the conclusion that all citizens, regardless of legal status, are
under suspicion.
- The privacy trends have been fueled by the emergence of a
profitable surveillance industry dominated by global IT companies
and the creation of numerous international treaties that
frequently operate outside judicial or democratic processes.
- Despite political shifts in the US Congress, surveillance
initiatives in the US continue to expand, affecting visitors and
citizens alike.
- Surveillance initiatives initiated by Brussels have causes a
substantial decline in privacy across Europe, eroding protections
even in those countries that have shown a traditionally high
regard for privacy.
- The privacy performance of older democracies in Europe is
generally failing, while the performance of newer democracies is
becoming generally stronger.
- The lowest ranking countries in the survey continue to be
Malaysia, Russia and China. The highest-ranking countries in 2007
are Greece, Romania and Canada.
- The 2006 leader, Germany, slipped significantly in the 2007
rankings, dropping from 1st to 7th place behind Portugal and
Slovenia.
- In terms of statutory protections and privacy enforcement, the
US is the worst ranking country in the democratic world. In terms
of overall privacy protection the United States has performed very
poorly, being out-ranked by both India and the Philippines and
falling into the "black" category, denoting endemic
surveillance.
- The worst ranking EU country is the United Kingdom, which
again fell into the "black" category along with Russia and
Singapore. However for the first time Scotland has been given its
own ranking score and performed significantly better than England
& Wales.
- Argentina scored higher than 18 of the 27 EU countries.
- Australia ranks higher than Slovakia but lower than South
Africa and New Zealand.
Source: www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5b347%5d=x-347-559597
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