UK proposes additional use of citizen information

However, privacy campaigners fear that changes would introduce a \'big brother\' style of bureaucracy. Prime Minister Tony Blair is conducting a policy review that aims to break down the barriers between blocks of information held by government on citizens. Current data protection legislation prevents one department using information gathered by another in most cases. Blair wants a specially convened panel to give their view on changing that law. The proposed ID card database, the National Identity Register, is the most likely central hub of any new data sharing system, experts believe. Campaigners against the controversial card and register say that the new plans would increase the state\'s power over individuals. Full Out-Law.com report

Moving to data protection issues in the US, where the US Senate and Congress will vote soon on a law that could force the government to disclose all data mining programmes on US citizens, reports Out-Law.com The Bill requires all federal agencies to disclose their data analysis activities. Democrats Russell Feingold and Daniel Leahy and Republican John Sununu have reintroduced the Federal Agency Data Mining Report Act, a Bill, which failed to receive a floor vote in 2003 and 2005. Full Out-Law.com report

In the European Union, laws that require service providers to retain communications data for the purposes of possible criminal investigation will place a huge burden on carriers, market watchers warn. Out-Law.com says that the controversial measures, enacted to aid the fight against terrorism, would compel telecom firms to keep customer e-mail logs, details of Internet usage and phone call records for up to two years. Opposition to the measures has thus far centred on privacy concerns. Critics argue that existing voluntary data retention provisions are sufficient. Service providers and operators need to adapt their systems by the time various national governments implement the European provisions on data retention as law. Full Out-Law.com report