[pp.int.general] Revision of the "data protection" European Directive

[Francisco George]

Just found this on the Forum of La Quadrature
https://forum.laquadrature.net/index.php/t/856/

* Revision of the "data protection" privacy EU legislation is currently *in
its early stages* (beginning of the first reading in the Parliament).
*Important
votes could be very soon*, as early as late January. So far it smells
*really bad*: *our fundamental right to privacy is heavily threatened*.

* It is one of the *most impressive lobbying effort* to the EU
institutions, especially the Parliament seen in ages, mostly led *by big US
companies* ("Big Data" in person lobbies our representatives).

* It is about current and future framing by the law of *the collection, the
processing and the storage of our personal data*. It is about regulating
the way Internet service providers, banks, administrations, etc. will know
and have an *influence on all we do online and offline* through technology.

* All s*afeguards currently existing in EU and national laws are threatened* by
hundreds of amendements on the initial report and various opinions of
parliamentary committees (consumers, industry, civil liberties, legal
affairs, etc.).

* There are *about 8-10 "hot" issues* currently being debated. Among which
the most important appear to be:
 - massive loophole with *ultra-vague notion of a "legitimate interest"* as
an exoneration to safeguards
 - definition of "personal data"
 - export of personal data to third countries
 - red herring "right to be forgotten"
 - portability of data

* There is apparently *no clear defined position in the various political
groups* in the European Parliament. Bad amendements are spread among all
biggest political groups.

* Tentative timetable is: as soon as end of January 2013 for votes in IMCO,
ITRE then JURI and LIBE committees. 1st reading plenary vote could be as
early as a few months from now.

* Lobbyists use bullshit economic arguments like "innovation/growth/jobs
need more collecting/processing/storing of personal data" to justify that
safeguards should be nullified (in reality, informed consent of users
through contracts would suffice!)

* Raw analysis is being made by EDRi on http://protectmydata.eu/

 but we need MOAR political analysis, symbols, expressions, concrete
examples, blogging and information.

* *We must act quickly.*
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