FC: Finland proposes extensive data retention plan for Net, telcos

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Previous Politech message:

"'Data retention' scheme marches forward in European Parliament"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-03691.html

---

Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 18:20:20 +0200
From: Mikko Valimaki <mikko.valimaki () effi org>
To: declan () well com
Subject: EFFI: Finland proposes extensive data retention while the country's
 largest Telco executives arrested for data misuse

Hi,

Could you consider publishing this. It is also found here: 
http://www.effi.org/pressrelease-2002-11-25.html

Regards,
Mikko

* * *

Helsinki 25th November 2002
Press release
For immediate release
Electronic Frontier Finland - EFFI ry

EFFI: Finland proposes extensive data retention while the country's largest 
Telco executives arrested for data misuse

Electronic Frontier Finland - EFFI ry demands the Finnish government to 
change their position regarding the compulsory data retention in 
telecommunications. EFFI's chairman Mikko Välimäki shoots: "According to a 
document we have acquired [http://www.effi.org/eu-2002-11-20.html], Finland 
demands that all telecommunications traffic data inside the EU should be 
retained for two years."

The Finland's largest telecommunications operator Sonera is currently under 
criminal investigation for suspected serious traffic data misuses. The 
police has imprisoned or is requesting an arrest warrant for six current or 
former Sonera executives, including the company's former CEO. (See e.g. 
Helsingin Sanomat 25.11.2002: "Head of Sonera corporate communications 
arrested", http://www.helsinki-hs.net/news.asp?id=20021125IE1)

Välimäki continues: "You might think that the Sonera-case would have been a 
wake-up call for politicians: if data is available, it will be misused 
sooner or later. But no. Finland seems to push forward with exceptional Big 
Brother optimism."

EFFI emphasizes that the police can already request data retention if they 
have a valid reason to suspect a crime. The extension proposed by Finland 
would require logging traffic data consisting almost entirely of ordinary 
communications between citizens.

Ville Oksanen, international executive of EFFI, comments: "One should also 
remember that the stored traffic data could be used internationally. For 
example the Cybercrime treaty, signed by Finland, means that Finland has an 
obligation to give this kind of information to countries with judicial 
system not in par with European standards. Although the risk of misuse 
might be limited in Finland one cannot say the same for example of Albania, 
Azerbaijan or Russia."

Oksanen continues: "International organizations defending privacy have 
already questioned the Finnish initiative. As a newly accepted member of 
the Global Internet Liberty Campaign EFFI has had a lot to explain since 
the Finnish government has previously been in the frontline of defending 
its' citizens' right to privacy."

The EU initiative is unfortunately not the only legislative initiative that 
aims at compulsory data detention. The Finnish parliament is currently 
considering a law proposal that would impose a far-reaching data retention 
obligations also to Internet-based discussion groups in Finland.

"Traffic data measures in huge amounts. Storing it for years is not easy 
nor cheap," says Kai Puolamäki, PhD, an EFFI board member. Puolamäki 
continues: "A comprehensive obligatory data retention, like the one 
proposed now, increases the risk of misuse considerably. I would say the 
possible advantages of data retention are questionable - especially since 
skilled criminals can easily avoid this kind of surveillance."

"Think if somebody suggested that janitors should keep track of all 
visitors entering homes and write down their names. Their logs should be 
filed for two years, just in case", Puolamäki considers and continues: "The 
proposal is ridiculous. Unfortunately, when we talk about the Internet and 
politics, these kind of suggestions seem to be an every-day phenomena in 
modern-day Finland and the EU."

Additional information:

Memorandum by the Council of the European Union on 20 November 2002:
http://www.effi.org/eu-2002-11-20.html

A document by EFFI on the proposed The law on liabilities in public 
communications that also proposes a comprehensive data retention:
http://www.effi.org/sananvapaus.en.html

Mikko Välimäki
Chairman, Electronic Frontier Finland ry
mikko.valimaki () effi org
+358 50 5980498

Ville Oksanen
Member of the Board, Electronic Frontier Finland ry
ville.oksanen () effi org
+1 415 572 0349



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Electronic Frontier Finland - EFFI ry was founded in 2001 to defend active 
users and citizens of the Finnish society in the electronic frontier. EFFI 
influences legislative proposalsconcerning e.g. personal privacy, freedom 
of speech and user rights in copyright law. We make statements, press 
releases and participate actively in actual public policy and legal 
discussions. EFFI has been featured in the national media including TV, 
radio and leading newspapers. EFFI also works in close cooperation with 
organizations sharing the same goals and values in the Europe, United 
States and elsewhere. EFFI is a founding member of the European Digital 
Rights http://www.edri.org/ and a member of Global Internet Liberty 
Campaign http://www.gilc.org/. More information from EFFI's homepages: 
http://www.effi.org/




-------------------------------------------------------------------------
POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list
You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice.
To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html
This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/
Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like Politech? Make a donation here: http://www.politechbot.com/donate/
Recent CNET News.com articles: http://news.search.com/search?qÞclan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------