Comments on: Data Retention in the EU - Your Digital Rights at Risk http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2005/08/16/data-retention-in-the-eu-your-digital-rights-at-risk/ Protecting your rights in the digital age Fri, 16 May 2008 03:46:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Alex http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2005/08/16/data-retention-in-the-eu-your-digital-rights-at-risk/#comment-7 Alex Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://new.openrightsgroup.org.test.gradwell.net/?p=7#comment-7 It might help to give a more concrete example of what it means to have your data at risk. The one I tend to use runs as follows: Say your boyfriend is a fireman. OK, no crime in that. Now let's say he's the jealous type and thinks you're cheating on him. How's he going to check that? Well, turns out that fire authorities are on the list of people who can request data, so presumably he'll be able to log onto the government's Great Big Database [tm] and requests all your communications records for the past month. And if he finds that you've been chatting to anyone male? Well, if he's that suspicious then it kinda sucks to be you... So you find out that he's been checking your records, get upset and dump him. Again, not illegal. One problem: being the jealous type, he starts stalking you. You get nervous and clear off. So what does he do? Well, the data that he requests includes IP addresses from which you've collected email, so he's able to track you down to the hotel in Scotland where you're hiding out. Oh dear... Can anyone else suggest better (scarier/more concise/more probable) scenarios? Is there anything dodgy about mine? It might help to give a more concrete example of what it means to have your data at risk. The one I tend to use runs as follows:

Say your boyfriend is a fireman. OK, no crime in that. Now let’s say he’s the jealous type and thinks you’re cheating on him. How’s he going to check that? Well, turns out that fire authorities are on the list of people who can request data, so presumably he’ll be able to log onto the government’s Great Big Database [tm] and requests all your communications records for the past month.

And if he finds that you’ve been chatting to anyone male? Well, if he’s that suspicious then it kinda sucks to be you…

So you find out that he’s been checking your records, get upset and dump him. Again, not illegal. One problem: being the jealous type, he starts stalking you. You get nervous and clear off. So what does he do? Well, the data that he requests includes IP addresses from which you’ve collected email, so he’s able to track you down to the hotel in Scotland where you’re hiding out. Oh dear…

Can anyone else suggest better (scarier/more concise/more probable) scenarios? Is there anything dodgy about mine?

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