News
25 September, 2014
Trade mark case could set a precedent for website blocking
For the first time ISPs are being asked to block websites on the basis of alleged trade mark (rather than copyright) infringement.
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07 July, 2014
Threat of legal action not terrorism behind calls for emergency data retention legislation
Open Rights Group (ORG) has responded to government calls for emergency legislation that would require ISPs and telecoms companies to keep records of our phone calls, texts and internet usage as ‘spin’.
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02 July, 2014
ORG’s Blocked project finds almost 1 in 5 sites are blocked by filters
Open Rights Group Blocked project finds almost 1 in 5 websites tested are blocked by web filters
High level of variation between ISPs suggest filters are not consistent in protecting children
Overblocking is affecting bloggers, businesses and web users
A Porsche broker, a political blogger and a mum hoping to read an article about post pregnancy care are among those that have been affected by filters designed to protect young people from adult content.
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23 June, 2014
Customers demand action from ISPs over data retention
As a result of an Open Rights Group campaign, over 1300 customers have written to their internet service providers (ISPs) to ask why they are still retaining their web, email, SMS and phone data.
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07 June, 2014
Stephen Fry calls spying on citizens ‘squalid and rancid’ at Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London
The performer Stephen Fry condemned the government’s failure to act over the Snowden revelations at the start of the Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London today.
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07 June, 2014
Stephen Fry calls spying on citizens ‘squalid and rancid’ at Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London
The performer Stephen Fry condemned the government’s failure to act over the Snowden revelations at the start of the Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London today.
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07 June, 2014
Stephen Fry calls spying on citizens ‘squalid and rancid’ at Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London
The performer Stephen Fry condemned the government’s failure to act over the Snowden revelations at the start of the Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London today.
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07 June, 2014
Stephen Fry calls spying on citizens ‘squalid and rancid’ at Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London
The performer Stephen Fry condemned the government’s failure to act over the Snowden revelations at the start of the Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London today.
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07 June, 2014
Stephen Fry calls spying on citizens ‘squalid and rancid’ at Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London
The performer Stephen Fry condemned the government’s failure to act over the Snowden revelations at the start of the Don’t Spy on Us Day of Action in London today.
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15 May, 2014
European day of action: Citizens call on MEPs to protect digital rights
Today, a coalition of 36 civil rights organisations invites European citizens to take part in a day of action to make sure that the next European Parliament defends digital civil and human rights.
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14 May, 2014
Over 300,000 people sign petitions saying no to tax data sell off
Open Rights Group, 38 Degrees and SumofUs handed in petitions to HMRC today, calling for an end to plans to sell access to taxpayers’ personal data.
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13 May, 2014
ECJ Google Spain ruling raises concerns for online free speech
Open Rights Group believes that today’s ruling by the European Court of Justice could pose a threat to free speech online.
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08 May, 2014
Is iPod tax on cards as government delays right to copy your music?
The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI) approved three of five Statutory Instruments (SI) relating to copyright law but is still considering a further two: exceptions for parody and for personal copying (also known as format shifting).
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06 May, 2014
Internet Day Against DRM: Limit the use of DRM technologies
On International Day Against DRM, the Open Rights Group is calling for limits on the use of DRM technologies, which restrict the ways that we access and control digital content.
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08 April, 2014
European Court of Justice finds Data Retention Directive invalid
Open Rights Group welcomed today’s declaration by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that the Data Retention Directive is invalid.
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03 April, 2014
European Parliament votes to protect free and fair internet
The European Parliament took a major step towards enshrining net neutrality in law today, when the EU Parliament voted yes to a new Regulation for a Telecommunications Single Market.
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28 March, 2014
Victory for digital rights as UK Government publishes changes to copyright law
The UK’s out-of-date copyright law came closer to being fit for purpose yesterday, when the Government published regulations for copyright exceptions.
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18 March, 2014
Loopholes in EU telecom regulation threaten neutrality of the net
The neutrality of the internet is under threat after the European Parliament’s Industry Committee today voted yes to a new Regulation for a Telecom single Market.
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12 March, 2014
Open Rights Group calls on UK government to end opposition to stronger European privacy rights
Digital campaigners, the Open Rights Group, welcome today’s vote in the European Parliament to approve a Regulation on data protection.
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04 December, 2013
Get a court order, says Open Rights Group
They say that they the Taskforce will:
“work with internet companies to restrict access to terrorist material online which is hosted overseas but illegal under UK law”
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, said:
“The government must use court orders if it wants sites ‘blocked’.
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18 October, 2013
Civil Rights Groups Call On European Parliament To Vote For Strong Data Protection Rules
http://www.
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18 October, 2013
ORG warns on Data Protection
“Deciding that it is ok to process data if it is ‘pseudonymous’ is extremely dangerous.
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26 September, 2013
Tom Watson MP: “The surveillance state is running amok and Parliament has absolutely failed.”
Speaking in the light of a summer of revelations from whistleblower Edward Snowden about the Internet surveillance programmes of British and American intelligence, he said:
“We’re living in the most closed system of liberal democracy in the Western world.
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07 June, 2013
PRISM US Surveillance – Serious Questions for the UK Government
Executive Director Jim Killock said:
“The UK Government must tell us what they knew about PRISM.
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03 June, 2013
Defending Internet Freedom at ORGCon2013
ORGCon 2013
Saturday June 8th, 10.
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28 May, 2013
Mobile phone data for sale
Recent press reports suggested that Ipsos Mori was marketing mobile network usage data to a range of companies, local authorities and public bodies.
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23 April, 2013
Open letter to ISPs
Three privacy groups have written to ISPs to demand that they stand up for their customers and warn them about the Snoopers’ Charter.
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19 April, 2013
Open Rights Group announces biggest ever event
The conference, ORGCon 2013, is on Saturday 8 June and ORG is taking over the IET in central London for the day-long event.
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14 December, 2012
ORG victory on parental controls
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group welcomed the Department for Education response to their consultation on parental controls.
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07 December, 2012
GoldenEye appeal on Monday: ORG reaches £5k funding goal
Open Rights Group has reached the funding goal of £5,000 to fund the legal case defending the decision to keep private the personal details of O2 and Be Broadband customers asssociated with over 6000 IP addresses.
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06 December, 2012
BPI’s PromoBay.org ban lifted
Yesterday, the BPI told the Open Rights Group that they had written to ISPs to remove the website PromoBay.
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29 November, 2012
Newzbin dies
Jim Killock said:“Newzbin were rightly pursued through the courts and found to be encouraging infringement.
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29 November, 2012
Conservatives must join calls to drop Snooper Bill
Jim Killock said:
“We urge Conservatives to voice their opposition to the Snooper’s Charter.
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28 November, 2012
Richard O’Dwyer decision
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group welcomed the decision to drop the extradition request made for Richard O’Dwyer.
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27 November, 2012
Facebook privacy changes
Reacting to the new changes announced by Facebook, Jim Killock said: "Facebook are lobbying the UK government to weaken new data protection laws and reduce our legal rights.
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23 November, 2012
Sobering lessons for the government from the latest Ofcom research on copyright infringement
Reacting to Ofcom’s new research into online copyright infringement, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Only 16% of respondents said they would stop unlawful file sharing if sent a letter by their ISP.
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23 October, 2012
ORG urges caution over web blocking orders
In response to the BPI’s call to block three websites before Christmas, Jim Killock Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Web blocking is an extreme response.
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16 October, 2012
ORG congratulates CNIL
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, said:
“It’s good to see European data protection authorities take action so that users gain control of their data.
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11 October, 2012
Neelie Kroes is right to demand DNT action
Jim Killock, who is an invited expert on the W3C panel for Do Not Track (DNT), welcomed Neelie Kroes’ demands for DNT to be rich and meaningful.
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13 September, 2012
Demos Data Dialogue report
Reacting to the Demos Data Dialogue report, Jim Killock said:
“The government needs to pay close attention to this report’s finding that 70% of people want a “right to delete” and a “right to retrieve” their data.
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31 August, 2012
Porn filtering: stop the Daily Mail Nanny State
With less than a week to go before the close of the “adult content” filtering consultation, Open Rights Group is urging people to let the Department for Education know that default blocking would be disastrous.
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04 July, 2012
ACTA victory!
Responding to the ACTA vote, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“This is a tremendous victory for the movement, for democracy and for every European citizen that has demanded that their rights be respected.
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28 June, 2012
We must not set up network censorship
Reacting to the DfE’s new consultation, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“This can of worms pushes censorship technologies and could damage access to perfectly legitimate and innocent websites.
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26 June, 2012
Reaction: Ofcom DEA code will lead to wrongful court cases
Responding to the consultations on costs and the Ofcom code, covering accusations, warnings and Appeals, Jim Killock said:
“Digital revenues are going up, the music and film industry are moving in the right direction, yet this cumbersome policy is still lumbering forward.
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14 June, 2012
Open Rights Group response to publication of Communications Data Bill
Responding to the publication of the Communications Data Bill Jim Killock, Executive Director of Open Rights Group said:
“The government’s notes confirm that this is exactly what we expected: black boxes to intercept people’s traffic data, and poorly supervised police powers to get access to it.
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14 June, 2012
Snooping announcement expected this morning
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Today Cameron is appearing at the Levenson Inquiry, and at the same time the government is releasing its plans to snoop on the Internet.
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31 May, 2012
Open Rights Group welcomes ACTA votes in European Parliament
Responding to today’s committee votes in the European Parliament, which saw the JURI, ITRE and LIBE Committees all vote against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, Peter Bradwell of Open Rights Group said:
“This is a strong signal that more and more MEPs recognise ACTA is so badly flawed, in so many ways, that it must be rejected.
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15 May, 2012
New ORG report reveals UK mobile Internet censorship
Open Rights Group and LSE Media Policy Project launched a new report, ‘Mobile Internet censorship: what’s happening and what we can do about it‘ [1] on Monday 14th May.
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09 May, 2012
Comms Data Bill: will mean widespread snooping powers
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, responding to the Communications Data Bill announcement in the Queen’s Speech said:
“This is a direct attack on the Coalition’s promise to end the storage of email data without good reason.
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04 May, 2012
Cameron wrong to push default porn blocks
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“We welcome a consultation but default filternets are awful.
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03 May, 2012
Will London’s election be open to fraud or error?
TODAY the Open Rights Group are warning that the London electronic count may be open to fraud or error, without any easy means to determine if results are correct.
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30 April, 2012
Pirate Bay block is short sighted and too broad
Reacting to the High Court’s Order to block the Pirate Bay Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Blocking the Pirate Bay is pointless and dangerous.
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27 April, 2012
Labour wrong to back Claire Perry “default blocking”
Reacting to the Daily Mail‘s reports that Labour would be backing Claire Perry’s calls for default blocking of adult content, Jim Killock said:
“Default blocks are a form of censorship.
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18 April, 2012
Claire Perry’s “default blocking” would censor adults and fail children
Commenting on Claire Perry’s committee findings, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“These recommendations, if enacted, would endanger children, create disruption for small business, and would not work technically.
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13 April, 2012
ORG welcomes David Martin MEP saying he is minded to reject ACTA
Speaking after David Martin MEP’s seminar on ACTA and the UK, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“ACTA would be a blow for democracy, and must be rejected.
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01 April, 2012
Home Office email surveillance
Reacting to further reports of plans to legislate for new online surveillance capabilities, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Of course the security services should be able to get a warrant to monitor genuine suspects.
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28 March, 2012
ORG supports Document Freedom Day
Today Open Rights Group is pleased to announce a partnership with Document Freedom Day 2012.
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06 March, 2012
Response to Digital Economy Act Judicial Review appeal decision
Responding to the decision this morning in the appeal of the Judicial Review of the Digital Economy Act, Peter Bradwell of Open Rights Group said:
“There is one thing the court cannot tell us: that this is a good law.
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22 February, 2012
Comment on referral of ACTA to European Court of Justice
Reacting to the European Commission’s decision to refer the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to the European Court of Justice, Peter Bradwell of Open Rights Group said:
“The European Commission has a vested interest in seeing ACTA pass.
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19 February, 2012
Email and Internet spy plans revived by Coalition
Responding to confirmation that Labour’s plans to intercept Internet traffic and store details of who we talk to online, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Labour’s online surveillance plans have hardly changed but have been rebranded.
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19 October, 2011
The online market for films is dysfunctional
Open Rights Group today published research on the availability of film online, finding a dysfunctional marketplace that leaves consumers with the digital equivalent of empty shelves.
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11 October, 2011
Censorware or child protection?
Tuesday 11 October
Reacting to news of new agreements between ISPs to block adult content, or forcing adults to opt into to it, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, which campaigns for digital rights, said:
“There is a world of difference between offering sensible child safety, and trying to persuade adults to live with layers of censorship.
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06 October, 2011
Government u-turn on vital public data
Government u-turn on vital public data
Thursday 6 October 2011
Transparency activists are demanding the new Public Data Corporation proposal is rewritten from scratch, claiming the current scheme is a “bodge” and a “betrayal”.
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12 September, 2011
Term extension: a cultural disaster
Reacting to the news that the EU Council has approved extension of the term of copyright in sound recordings from 50 to 70 years, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Term extension is a cultural disaster.
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25 August, 2011
Ten human rights groups warn Theresa May of ‘abuse’ of social media censorship powers
Ten human rights groups have warned today that hasty measures to limit access to social networks and communications could lead to abuse.
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25 August, 2011
Ten human rights groups warn Theresa May of ‘abuse’ of social media censorship powers
Ten human rights groups have warned today that hasty measures to limit access to social networks and communications could lead to abuse.
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25 August, 2011
Ten human rights groups warn Theresa May of ‘abuse’ of social media censorship powers
Ten human rights groups have warned today that hasty measures to limit access to social networks and communications could lead to abuse.
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25 August, 2011
Ten human rights groups warn Theresa May of ‘abuse’ of social media censorship powers
Ten human rights groups have warned today that hasty measures to limit access to social networks and communications could lead to abuse.
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25 August, 2011
Ten human rights groups warn Theresa May of ‘abuse’ of social media censorship powers
Ten human rights groups have warned today that hasty measures to limit access to social networks and communications could lead to abuse.
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02 August, 2011
Open Rights Group welcomes Government response to Hargreaves Review
Tuesday 2nd August 2011.
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28 July, 2011
Newzbin block: pointless and dangerous
Reacting to the decision of the courts to instruct BT to block Newzbin, Peter Bradwell, Copyright Campaigner at the Open Rights Group said:
“Website blocking is pointless and dangerous.
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20 April, 2011
Judicial Review : Digital Economy Act decision
Reacting to the Judicial Review decision, Peter Bradwell, Campaigner at Open Rights Group, said:
“It is important to remember that this is not a judgement on whether the Digital Economy Act is good public policy.
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04 January, 2011
BT could be endangering the Open Internet
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“We are talking about ISPs competing with the Internet for content delivery.
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16 December, 2010
BPI members profits up: calls for clampdowns are immoral
Reacting to the BPI’s latest push for Internet users to be surveilled and cut off from the Internet, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“The BPI are whinging that massive growth in their members’ profits in the middle of a recession isn’t good enough.
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10 November, 2010
ORG welcomes Judicial Review of Digital Economy Act
Jim Killock, executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“We are extremely glad that judges will be taking a look at the Digital Economy Act, which we believe breaches people’s rights to freedom of expression and privacy.
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10 November, 2010
Home Office botch privacy consultation following Phorm case
Responding to the announcement that the Home Office are reviewing interception laws following EU action, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“BT and Phorm breached thousands of people’s privacy by opening their web traffic without consent.
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04 November, 2010
ORG welcomes Government’s IP Review
Commenting on the Government’s announcement to review Intellectual Property laws Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Right Group, said:
“The Digital Economy Act left a massive hole of missing user rights like personal copying and parody.
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21 October, 2010
MEPs raise concerns about fundamental rights in ACTA and the Commissioner makes a mockery of them
MEPs’ concerns, driven by emails from ORG activists, about the lack of fundamental rights in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) were dismissed by EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht in a debate in the European Parliament last night.
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20 October, 2010
First ACTA debate tonight in European Parliament
Tonight (Wednesday), after two and a half years, MEPs will debate the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) for the first time.
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01 October, 2010
ACS:Law leak shows that Digital Economy Act carries massive privacy concerns
Unwarranted private surveillance have led to a huge leak of sensitive personal data from ACS:Law.
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22 September, 2010
MPs fail to scrutinise ACTA, confirms IPO
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has confirmed that MPs have not seen the current text of ACTA, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.
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14 September, 2010
45 million internet users face higher bills
Using the internet will become more expensive as a result of the Government’s announcement today to include ISPs in the cost of the letter writing regime following the Digital Economy Act.
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24 June, 2010
NEWS: EU data protection complaint to UK is justified and timely
Welcoming Vice-President Viviane Reding’s continuing infraction proceedings against the UK, calling for the UK’s Information Commissioner to have the powers supposedly granted under the Data Protection Directive, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“Data protection in the UK is weaker than it should be.
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28 May, 2010
Absurd lack of clarity in Ofcom’s draft code
Responding to Ofcom’s Initial Obligations Code, released today, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“This is another extremely rushed process, forced by the Digital Economy Act’s absurd timetables.
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05 February, 2010
Joint Committee on Human Rights demands rights for internet users
Commenting on the Joint Committee on Human Rights condemnation of the Digital Economy Bill, Jim Killock, Executive Director the Open Rights Group said:
“The Lords have highlighted some of the serious problems with this Bill.
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20 November, 2009
Digital Economy Bill: reaction
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“People’s rights are at stake.
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19 October, 2009
Poll shows Mandelson’s disconnection plans is vote loser
Nearly half of respondents would be less likely to vote for a party supporting disconnection
A new YouGov poll for the Open Rights Group shows that nearly a third (31%) of UK citizens would be much less likely to vote for a party that supported internet disconnection for online copyright infringement.
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15 October, 2009
Parliament’s credibility undermined by back track on citizens’ rights
Amendment 138, guaranteeing Internet access and protecting fundamental civil liberties, is being watered down by Parliamentary negotiators seeking a compromise with the EU Council.
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05 October, 2009
Royal Mail stop job search
Royal Mail: sacking workers and closing down service helping them find new jobs over IP dispute
A number of non-profit online services face closure today, after Royal Mail sent a cease and desist letter to free post code campaigners.
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02 October, 2009
Industry expert to Mandelson: legalise it!
TONIGHT Media Futurist Gerd Leonhard, will say that musicians, labels and government need to focus on their wallets rather than technology if they are to save music from the threat of illicit music downloads on the internet.
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25 September, 2009
Punishment is not the answer, says Open Rights Group
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, commenting on the artists meeting yesterday, said:
“We welcome that artists have moved away from disconnection, but throttling connections could in practice be just as damaging as disconnection.
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08 September, 2009
Google books: Europe needs to get this right
Speaking at the EU Commission’s Google Books hearing today, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“We must not see this dispute as simply a process to deliver a compromise between two commercial interests.
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07 January, 2009
Open Rights Group announces Jim Killock as new Executive Director
7 January 2008
For immediate release
OPEN RIGHTS GROUP ANNOUNCES JIM KILLOCK AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Open Rights Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Killock as its new Executive Director.
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30 May, 2008
Open Rights Group welcomes commission e-voting recommendations
Embargoed until 0100 on 2 August 2007
The Open Rights Group (ORG) today extended a cautious welcome to recommendations made by the Electoral Commission for a pause in electoral pilots and a full public debate on the role technology might play in our electoral system.
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30 May, 2008
Open Rights Group dismayed by Ministry of Justice response on e-voting
For immediate release
13 November 2007
OPEN RIGHTS GROUP DISMAYED BY MINISTRY OF JUSTICE RESPONSE ON E-VOTING
In the May 2007 local elections Open Rights Group observers, accredited by the Electoral Commission, took part in the monitoring of pilot electronic voting and electronic counting schemes.
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30 May, 2008
Commission decision shows BBC out of touch on iPlayer
For immediate release
17 September 2007
COMMISSION DECISION SHOWS BBC OUT OF TOUCH ON IPLAYER
The Open Rights Group today welcomed the judgment of the European Court of First Instance to essentially uphold the European Commission’s decision that Microsoft abused its dominant market position.
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30 April, 2007
Open Rights Group: “Politicians should listen to facts, not fairytales”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 April 2007
The Open Rights Group today urged MPs to listen to the facts on copyright term extension, and not to the small group of people who seek to distort them by mistaking the copyright regime for a pension scheme.
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23 April, 2007
Electoral Commission grants official accreditation to Open Rights Group missions
Electoral Commission grants official accreditation to Open Rights Group missions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23 April 2007 The Electoral Commission have today granted Open Rights Group election monitors official observer status in the local elections of 3 May.
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19 April, 2007
Open Rights Group will monitor UK elections with thirty observers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday 20th April
Taking advantage of new legislation, the Open Rights Group will field a team of thirty observers to monitor the conduct of this May’s electoral pilots.
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02 April, 2007
Open Rights Group welcomes EMI move to ditch locked-up music
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2 April 2007
OPEN RIGHTS GROUP WELCOMES EMI MOVE TO DITCH LOCKED-UP MUSIC
The Open Rights Group, a grassroots membership organisation that campaigns for Internet users’ rights, has today applauded EMI’s move to sell unencumbered digital music compatible with all MP3 players.
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