Data retention proposals similar to those expected to become law in Ireland have been declared an invasion of privacy in a German court decision that Karlin Lillington calls "a timely warning shot" in an op-ed for the Irish Times. The Retention of Data Bill 2009 would implement an EU directive, but Lillington warns that the same issues cited in the German case--including ensuring data safety and legal remedies when personal data is misused--have been raised as concerns in Ireland. "If the government fails to reconsider the terms of its Data Retention Bill," Lillington writes, "...it is likely to find that costly court challenges and a forced reworking of the legislation lie ahead."
Full Story