Europe Adopts Data Retention

Via LWN this morning, a disturbing FFII press release about new EU regulations requiring the retention of records about communications. To quote:


Jonas Maebe of the FFII says: “Among other harsh measures, the
directive mandates recording of the source and destination of all
emails you send and every call you make, and your location and
movement during mobile phone calls. Additionally, the directive says
nothing about who has to pay for all this logging, which will
significantly distort the internal telecommunications market.”

and, getting worse:


The gathered data can be made available without special warrants, and
without limit to certain types of crime. There will be no independent
evaluation, and no extra privacy and no specific security safeguards.
The data will be retained for periods ranging from 6 months up to any
duration a member state can convince the Commission of.

The FFII have a permanent link to their press release on their website.