Search Engines Should Become Government Spies, Says EU Parliament

[Dave Farber <dfarber () me com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Katherine Albrecht <kma () startpage com>
> Date: June 28, 2010 10:36:17 AM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Subject: Search Engines Should Become Government Spies, Says EU Parliament

> Dear Privacy-Minded Colleague:
>
> The European Parliament wants to take away the right to search the Internet in privacy.
>
> As you know, the Startpage and Ixquick search engines have helped millions of people protect their privacy through 
> anonymous, certified proxy searching. Human rights activists, whistleblowers, and regular people all appreciate the 
> security of knowing we never record users' IP addresses and we don't use tracking cookies.
>
> But unless we act now, Europeans may lose that right. 
>
> A directive known as "Written Declaration 29," adopted last week by the European Parliament, calls for legislation 
> that would require search engines to make a record of all search queries. 
>
> Spying on people's searches without evidence of a crime would throw us back to the East German Stasi era where 
> everyone was under surveillance. We believe privacy is a fundamental right, and we have vowed to resist this move.
>
> Please read and distribute our press release below. We need your help to spread the word. 
>
> Sincerely, 
>
> Katherine Albrecht, Ed.D.
> VP Marketing and Media Relations, Startpage (by Ixquick)
> The private, anonymous search engine alternative to Google, Yahoo, and Bing
> www.Startpage.com
> 877-434-3100
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> Search Engines Should Become Government Spies, Says EU Parliament 
> Ixquick and Startpage will fight "Big Brother" data retention clause in Declaration 29 
>
> (Brussels / New York / Zeist June 28, 2010) A draconian proposal to retain all Internet search traffic, known as 
> "Written Declaration 29," was adopted by the European Parliament last week. Framed as a measure to crack down on 
> paedophiles, the controversial Declaration calls on the EU to require that search engines store all search traffic 
> for up to two years for possible analysis by authorities.
>
> Search engine Ixquick (www.ixquick.com), widely regarded as the world's most private search engine, has built a 
> strong privacy reputation by storing no search data on its users. The company believes it has been singled out by the 
> data retention proposal, and it has vowed to strongly oppose the measure becoming law.
>
> "Since Google, Yahoo, and Bing already retain users' search data, this proposal is clearly aimed at Ixquick and our 
> English-language subsidiary Startpage (www.startpage.com)," said Robert Beens, CEO of Ixquick. "We have worked hard 
> to create a privacy-friendly search engine that embodies the spirit of EU Privacy Protections, in line with the 
> strict recommendations of the EU Article 29 Data Protection Working Party. This Declaration is evidence that the left 
> hand of the EU does not know what the right hand is doing."
>
> Mr. Beens fears that if the measure becomes law, it will vastly undermine the privacy of over 500 million law-abiding 
> EU citizens. Storing everyone's search data, rather than restricting surveillance to known or suspected offenders, 
> would give the government access to a rich trove of political, medical, professional, and personal data on virtually 
> every person in Europe. And critics say it will do little to stop child pornography. 
>
> "Sex offenders exchange files through underground networks. They don't find this stuff through search engines," said 
> Alex Hanff of Privacy International, an advocacy group that is launching a campaign against the measure. "I spent 
> eight years helping law enforcement track down online sex offenders and never once did we see a case where search 
> engine data was useful."
>
> Ixquick will join the public campaign started by Privacy International to stop the provisions of Written Declaration 
> 29 from becoming law.
>
> "Privacy is a fundamental right and the basis of a free society. The phenomenal success of Ixquick and Startpage 
> proves that people don't want to be watched by their governments," said Mr. Beens. "Spying on law-abiding citizens is 
> not the way forward, and we will stand by our principles to protect the public's ability to search in privacy."
>
> About Startpage and Ixquick
> Startpage is the English-language version of Ixquick, an international, award-winning search engine with an 
> industry-leading privacy policy. Launched in 1998, Ixquick is owned by Surfboard Holding BV, a Dutch company. Ixquick 
> has been awarded the EU Privacy Seal by the independent certification authority Europrise. Further information can be 
> found at www.startpage.com and www.ixquick.com.
>
>
> For press inquiries please contact:
> Dr. Katherine Albrecht
> US Media Relations, Startpage
> 877-434-3100 [U.S. toll free]
> +1 973-273-2125 [International access] 
> kma () startpage com   Alex van Eesteren
> EU Media Relations, Ixquick
> +31 30 6971778
> alex () ixquick com 



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