Renewed promises from Theresa May to revive 'Snoopers' Charter'
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* Massive victory for ORG as [[ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w40#Copyright_exceptions_for_parody_and_format_shifting_finally_become_law| copyright exceptions]] are finally made law
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* Theresa May says a conservative government would make the [[ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w40#Renewed_promises_from_Theresa_May_to_revive_.27Snoopers.27_Charter.27| Snoopers' Charter']] law, as Justice Secretary announces [[ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w40#Conservative_government_wants_to_introduce_powers_which_would_allow_them_to_ignore_European_Court_of_Human_Rights_rulings| plans to ignore]] European Court of Human Rights rulings
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Hope everyone enjoys this week's parliamentary update. It's been a great pleasure working at the ORG for the past year! Thank you for all the fun times, all the support and all the doughnuts.
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And thank you all for your continued support and subscription. The parliamentary update will continue bringing you all the latest political and policy developments in the world of digital rights, especially nearing the general elections in May 2015.
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Ευχαριστώ πολύ!
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Αλεξάνδρα
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This is ORG's Parliamentary and Policy Update for the week beginning 29/09/2014
This is ORG's Parliamentary and Policy Update for the week beginning 29/09/2014
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== Official Meetings ==
== Official Meetings ==
−
==NSA and GCHQ updates==
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There were no official meetings this week
.
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''See our [[Guardian and Snowden revelations 2013|full list of the Guardian and Snowden’s revelations]]
.
''
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== Consultations and departments ==
== Consultations and departments ==
''A full list of open consultations and Parliamentary events can be found on our [[Events|Events]]''
''A full list of open consultations and Parliamentary events can be found on our [[Events|Events]]''
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==
Non-ministerial Government Departments
==
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==
=Welsh Internet domains to go live on Tuesday=
==
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== Committees ==
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Following the introduction of Scottish domains (.scot) in July, domains ending in .cymru and .wales will be launched on Tuesday. The domains will be available for purchase in November for businesses and March 2015 for the wider public.
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Dame Rosemary Butler AM presiding officer of the National Assembly of Wales, said "A .wales/.cymru brand will be an enormous help to Welsh organisations as they strive to make their voice heard around the world." ([http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/30/wales-follows-scotland-with-its-own-wales-and-cymru-internet-domains The Guardian])
== Government Bills ==
== Government Bills ==
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See our website for an official [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press/releases/copyright-exceptions-for-parody-and-format-shifting-become-law press release] and a [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/2014/will-we-now-see-parliamentary-footage-used-in-parodies blog] post by our Legal Director, Elizabeth Knight.
See our website for an official [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press/releases/copyright-exceptions-for-parody-and-format-shifting-become-law press release] and a [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/2014/will-we-now-see-parliamentary-footage-used-in-parodies blog] post by our Legal Director, Elizabeth Knight.
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Amendments to the [[Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988]], meant to come in effect on 1 June 2014, were [[ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w19#Delay_to_private_copying_and_parody_exceptions| delayed]] after the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, [[Lord Younger]], announced their delay
in
a month later. The delay was announced as the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JSCSI) wanted
to have a
further
discussion
about the exceptions.
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Amendments to the [[Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988]], meant to come in effect on 1 June 2014, were [[ORG parliamentary and policy update/2014-w19#Delay_to_private_copying_and_parody_exceptions| delayed]] after the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, [[Lord Younger]], announced their delay a month later. The delay was announced as the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JSCSI) wanted further
discussions
about the exceptions.
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The new exceptions allow consumers to make private copies of media they've purchased. However, it is still illegal to make copies of media for third-parties, such as family and friends.
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The new exceptions allow consumers to make private copies of media
(ebooks, music, movies etc)
they've purchased. However, it is still illegal to make copies of media for third-parties, such as family and friends.
The [[Intellectual Property Office]] have published [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-copyright-law guidance] on the new exceptions.
The [[Intellectual Property Office]] have published [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-copyright-law guidance] on the new exceptions.
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== Private Members Bills ==
== Debates, questions and speeches==
== Debates, questions and speeches==
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==
International Developments
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===
Question on number of communications warrants applications, mentioned by Home Secretary
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==
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[[David Davis MP]] has asked a question concerning the Home Secretary's lecture, in which she referred to 20 cases dropped by the [[National Crime Agency]] (13 of which were "threat-to-life" cases involving children) due to lack of access to data. The Home Secretary used this example as a way of highlighting the need for a [[Communications Data Bill]] (also known as the 'Snoopers' Charter).
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Mr Davis asked how many communication warrants were applied for in those cases and how many requests were rejected by telecommunications companies.
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[[James Brokenshire MP]] replied "Where the Single Point of Contact in a law enforcement agency knows that data is not held by the service provider in question, they will not process a request for the data in the first place (as it would not be an appropriate use of their powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000)" ([http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140911/text/140911w0001.htm#140911w0001.htm_spnew10 Hansard]).
== European Union ==
== European Union ==
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===
Free Trade Agreements
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===
Parliamentary question on next steps in Google antitrust case
===
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== Devolved Matters ==
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European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, has answered a question on the next steps in the ongoing case against [[Google]]. The search engine company has been under investigation by the [[European Commission]] for their unfair practices.
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== Law
and
Legal Cases ==
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The Commission found that Google did not display a fair amount of competitor's specialised services
and
they use competitors' content in their own specialised services without prior authorisation, among other practices. Google had agreed to make changes for each of the concerns raised.
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Ramon Tremosa MEP, asked Ms Vestager if the company would receive a formal Statement of Objections. The Statement is a written statement the Commission is compelled to address to the party, outlining their legal objections, before they make any decisions which will negatively influence the party's rights.
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Ms Vestager replied "There will be next steps, but I don’t know yet what they will be concretely. This is a classic case, [Google] is a company with a huge, huge, huge market share and we have complainants of all sizes. I do hope we don’t have to prolong this antitrust investigation with another." ([http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/03/i_dont_know_yet_what_the_next_steps_in_the_google_case_will_be_says_new_eu_competition_chief/ The Register])
==Political Parties==
==Political Parties==
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===
More
promises from Theresa May to revive 'Snoopers' Charter'===
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===
Renewed
promises from Theresa May to revive 'Snoopers' Charter'===
See our [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/2014/theresa-mays-call-for-new-snoopers-charter-can-launch-a-national-debate blog] for a comment by ORG's Executive Director and our website for an official [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press/releases/open-rights-groups-responds-to-calls-by-theresa-may-for-new-communications-data-bill press release].
See our [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/2014/theresa-mays-call-for-new-snoopers-charter-can-launch-a-national-debate blog] for a comment by ORG's Executive Director and our website for an official [https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press/releases/open-rights-groups-responds-to-calls-by-theresa-may-for-new-communications-data-bill press release].
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During a speech in Birmingham where Home Secretary [[Theresa May MP]]
,
spoke of the dangers posed to the UK by terrorist groups, she made promises to introduce the [[Communications Data Bill]] (also referred to as the [[Snoopers' Charter]])
into law, if a conservative government won in the next general elections
.
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During a speech in Birmingham
,
where Home Secretary [[Theresa May MP]] spoke of the dangers posed to the UK by terrorist groups, she made promises to introduce the [[Communications Data Bill]]
into law, if a conservative government won in the next general election
(also referred to as the [[Snoopers' Charter]]).
She accused the Liberal Democrats of working irresponsibly when they blocked the introduction of the bill two years ago. She said "If we do not act, we risk sleepwalking into a society in which crime can no longer [be] investigated and terrorists can plot their murderous schemes undisrupted".
She accused the Liberal Democrats of working irresponsibly when they blocked the introduction of the bill two years ago. She said "If we do not act, we risk sleepwalking into a society in which crime can no longer [be] investigated and terrorists can plot their murderous schemes undisrupted".
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ORG's Executive Director says
the bill would allow
"Massive data gathering and analysis of your online habits would become available to the police and a range of public bodies. Powers that are currently being challenged in the courts, but are in practice available to GCHQ under programmes like TEMPORA, would become an everyday policing tool".([http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/30/theresa-may-tory-government-snoopers-charter Guardian])
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ORG's Executive Director says "Massive data gathering and analysis of your online habits would become available to the police and a range of public bodies. Powers that are currently being challenged in the courts, but are in practice available to GCHQ under programmes like TEMPORA, would become an everyday policing tool".([http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/30/theresa-may-tory-government-snoopers-charter Guardian])
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=
===Conservative government
want
to
remove
European Court of Human Rights
overule of the UK=
===
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===Conservative government
wants
to
introduce powers which would allow them to ignore
European Court of Human Rights
rulings
===
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Justice secretary [[Chris Grayling MP]] has published plans which would allow the UK to ignore rulings from the [[European Court of Human Rights]]. The plan aims to "restore sovereignty to Westminster".
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Justice secretary [[Chris Grayling MP]] has published plans which would allow the UK to ignore rulings from the [[European Court of Human Rights]]
. The strategy document, outlining the plan, pledges that the UK will remain a part of the [[European Convention on Human Rights]], but would treat the Court as an advisory body
. The plan aims to "restore sovereignty to Westminster".
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The Conservative party's former attorney general [[Dominic Grieve MP]] said the plans are "unworkable and will damage the UK's international reputation".
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The Conservative party's former attorney general [[Dominic Grieve MP]] said the plans are "unworkable and will damage the UK's international reputation".
([http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/03/conservatives-ignore-european-court-human-rights-rulings The Guardian])
The plans can be viewed in an eight-page strategy paper, available on the Guardian's [http://www.theguardian.com/politics/interactive/2014/oct/03/conservatives-human-rights-act-full-document website].
The plans can be viewed in an eight-page strategy paper, available on the Guardian's [http://www.theguardian.com/politics/interactive/2014/oct/03/conservatives-human-rights-act-full-document website].
==Commercial Stakeholders==
==Commercial Stakeholders==
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===FBI Director voices concern over Apple and Google's new privacy protections===
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During a press conference, the FBI Director James Comey, said he was "very concerned" over new steps taken by [[Apple]] and [[Google]] to strengthen privacy protections on mobile phones. Last week Apple announced it would no longer be possible to unlock encrypted iPhones or iPads, for law enforcement purposes. This is because the phones would no longer allow user passcodes to be bypassed.
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Mr Comey said "What concerns me about this is companies marketing something expressly to allow people to place themselves beyond the law." ([http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/25/james-comey-apple-encryption_n_5882874.html Huffington Post]).
== ORG Media coverage ==
== ORG Media coverage ==
See [[ORG Press Coverage]] for full details.
See [[ORG Press Coverage]] for full details.
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==October==
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==October
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==
;2014-10-02 - The Inquirer [http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2373487/the-uk-legalises-pithy-parodies-cd-copying-book-backups-and-dvd-duplicating The UK legalises pithy parodies, CD copying, book backups and DVD duplicating]
;2014-10-02 - The Inquirer [http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2373487/the-uk-legalises-pithy-parodies-cd-copying-book-backups-and-dvd-duplicating The UK legalises pithy parodies, CD copying, book backups and DVD duplicating]
:'''Author''': Dave Neal
:'''Author''': Dave Neal
:'''Summary''': Article about the new legislation allowing for the private copying of media with a quote from Jim Killock.
:'''Summary''': Article about the new legislation allowing for the private copying of media with a quote from Jim Killock.
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==September==
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==September
=
==
;2014-09-26 - The Daily Mail [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2770597/Father-murder-victim-says-killer-no-right-forgotten-MailOnline-article-hidden-Google-EU-s-right-forgotten-story.html Google denies removing then reinstating MailOnline story about murderous paedophile under controversial 'right to be forgotten' ruling]
;2014-09-26 - The Daily Mail [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2770597/Father-murder-victim-says-killer-no-right-forgotten-MailOnline-article-hidden-Google-EU-s-right-forgotten-story.html Google denies removing then reinstating MailOnline story about murderous paedophile under controversial 'right to be forgotten' ruling]