Testifying before the Oireachtas Social Media hearings
DRI was represented today by TJ McIntyre and Fergal Crehan before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications which is currently holding a series of hearings on “Social Media Ethics and Regulation”. There’s a good summary of the proceedings in the Irish Times but …
Pulling the plug is not the answer
Dr. Richard Tynan and I have a piece in Saturday’s Irish Examiner discussing the implications of Eircom’s “phased disconnection” scheme. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be on their website, so here’s the full text: Pulling the plug is not the answer Earlier this week Eircom …
Reform of search warrants must take computer searches into account
The Law Reform Commission has just published a consultation paper on search warrants and bench warrants. In relation to search warrants it points out there is currently a bewildering array of statutory provisions (over 100 different Acts and Regulations) which deal with searches, with different …
Irish Times opinion piece on data retention
The Irish Times published an opinion piece today from us on data retention. A subscription is required to read it at that link, so here’s the full text: Violations only made worse by new plans for data retention The Government is planning an alarming expansion …
Gardaí investigated for selling access to case files
There appears to be an ongoing problem with a minority of Gardaí abusing their position by selling or leaking confidential information. The most recent episode involves allegations that Gardaí have been illegally supplying information to insurance companies. The Sunday Tribune has an update: NEARLY 50 …
Gardaí Leaking Mobile Phone Records?
Last Tuesday’s Evening Herald had a curious front page story about the Afghan hunger strikers. Entitled “Truth about Taliban hunger strike” it read: Exclusive: Sinister Taliban rebels directed Dublin sit-in protest from Afghanistan. The hunger strikers inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral were being directed from Afghanistan, …
Data Protection Commissioner says data retention must be limited to serious crime
At the launch of the Data Protection Commissioner’s 2005 Annual Report today Mr. Billy Hawkes, the Commissioner, strongly criticised the current Data Protection laws and suggested in his report that the implementation of the European Data Retention Directive into Irish law ought to be used …
ISPs Ordered to hand over user details – users not notified of case or given chance to make submissions
The High Court yesterday made an order requiring ISPs to hand over details of 49 alleged filesharers to the music industry. After the first such order, in July 2005, we expressed concern about the procedure which had been adopted. When we learnt about this …
Dealing with SMS Spam
Ireland has one of the highest mobile phone ownership rates in the world. Mobiles are with us more than any other piece of technology, and we have a more personal relationship with them than with any other piece of electronics. Studies have shown that this …
Data Retention in Europe: The story so far
Political action in the European Union frequently appears to happen behind closed doors. But the breadth of the EU’s powers, and the fact that EU legislation will always take precedence over our own domestic law, even our Constitution, makes it important to keep an eye …
Parliamentary Question on Data Retention
Joe Costello TD was kind enough to place a Parliamentary Question for us asking the Minister for Justice about the use of his new data retention powers. Unfortunately the answer we received was less than helpful, with the Minister giving the blanket response that “it …