Euro plans to require ISPs to snoop on users are "hidden tax" [priv]

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[Clearly the European approach to protecting its citizens' privacy is 
superior to the one in the U.S.! Clearly European bureaucrats are 
looking out for the best interest of their citizens! (Seriously, though, 
I'm not defending the U.S. All I'm saying is that it is possible to draw 
comparisons between two flawed approaches and conclude that one regime 
is not quite as wretched as the other.) --Declan]

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http://www.net4nowt.com/isp_news/news_article.asp?News_ID=2592

Thursday 06 January 2005, 21:44:34

    The London Internet Exchange (LINX) has started the New Year by 
issuing a warning that European plans to force ISPs to collect traffic 
data will add to costs for Internet users.

    "It would be nothing less than a hidden tax on Internet users who 
will be obliged to pay for the costs of government snooping," said 
Malcolm Hutty, regulation officer with LINX.

    The European Council of Ministers is currently considering 
legislation which would force ISPs to collect and retain a wide variety 
of data about the traffic which they handle. It is intended that this 
data would be made available to law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

[...remainder snipped...]
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