shouting loudly

European proposals erode cell, online privacy

A number of European governments are considering measures to track cellular and online communication.

Proposals include requirements that cell providers keep records of your physical location during all calls (Netherlands) and prohibit the use of false information in registering for email accounts (Germany). These are being offered in the name of the EU Data Retention Directive, but they are above-and-beyond interpretations in the name of international harmonization with a directive that is itself a substantial blow to privacy.

For instance, the Directive in no way requires the regulation or retention of the contents of communication. The German proposal, intent on forcing you to stop registering phony email addresses under the name Amanda Huggenkiss, is therefore far beyond the pale of the EU policy.

We’ve seen this sort of behavior before, and it’s called policy laundering. Just as money laundering makes dirty money look clean, policy laundering makes an unpopular domestic agenda seem as if it were imposed by the international community.

TANGENTIALLY RELATED UPDATE: I decided to surf around and see who else was using the phrase “policy laundering.” Even though I thought Oscar Gandy and I could claim the credit for applying the phrase to the DMCA (laundered through WIPO), it turns out Cory Doctorow beat us to the punch. Frankly, good. We need this idea circulating if we’re to stop the antidemocratic process.