World privacy rights (US, UK near bottom)

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World privacy rights (US, UK near bottom)

Postby Rigorous Intuition » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:52 pm

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>Canada near top, U.K. at low end in protecting privacy rights: survey</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br>When it comes to privacy rights, Canada ranks among the top defenders while Britain is considered one of the worst protectors, according to a new survey.<br><br>Privacy International, a watchdog group that studies government and business surveillance and privacy practices, rated 36 countries, including 25 EU member states, on 13 national practices.<br><br>The practices included statutory and constitutional protections, the use of ID cards and closed circuit TV cameras. The countries were given a ranking from one to five — five points denoting no invasive policies, and one point for extensive surveillance.<br><br>Germany (3.9) was ranked the highest, followed by Canada (3.6). They were the only two listed in the category of "significant protections and safeguards."<br><br>The two countries were followed by Belgium and Austria (3.2), and Hungary (3.1).<br><br>Britain ranked alongside Russia and China as countries demonstrating "endemic surveillance" of its citizens.<br><br>China and Malaysia (1.3) ranked at the bottom, followed by Singapore and Russia (1.4), and the U.K. (1.5).<br><br>The U.S. scored a 2, putting it in the "extensive surveillance society" category. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>In terms of statutory protections and privacy enforcement, the U.S. was ranked the worst in the democratic world.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br>'Waking up to surveillance society'<br><br>"This is damning evidence that privacy is being destroyed by the very nations that proclaim to respect our rights," Simon Davies, director of Privacy International, said in a statement.<br><br>The survey comes as Britain's information commissioner warns his country has become a surveillance society.<br><br>"Two years ago I questioned, 'Are we sleepwalking into a surveillance society,'" said Richard Thomas. "Now I have to say we're waking up to a surveillance society."<br><br>The primary source of that information is closed circuit television cameras, the CBC's Harry Forestell reported. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>The streets of British cities, towns and villages are monitored by 4.2 million closed circuit cameras — one for every 14 people.<br><br>Every person, on average, is viewed by 300 cameras a day.</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> Police use facial and licence plate recognition technology to track anyone who looks suspicious.<br><br>British police are also allowed to demand DNA samples from anyone they detain, even if they haven't been formally arrested or charged with a crime.<br><br>Authorities hold more than 3.5 million sub-samples — the largest DNA databank in the world.<br><br>However, much of the information can be used for good, Forestell said. Video cameras have dramatically increased conviction rates for some crimes and DNA evidence has helped police solve a backlog of crimes.<br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/11/02/uk-surveillance.html">www.cbc.ca</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--> <p></p><i></i>
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