Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

9 Aug, 2013

Privacy Int’l to challenge telecoms firms over surveillance cooperation | The Guardian

BT and Vodafone are among seven large telecoms firms which could be pulled into a legal challenge under human rights law for cooperating with GCHQ’s large-scale internet surveillance programs.

Lawyers for the group Privacy International, whose mission is to defend the right to privacy, have written to the chief executives of the telecoms companies identified last week by the German paper Süddeutsche and the Guardian as collaborating in GCHQ’s Tempora program.

Tempora is an internet buffer that lets analysts search vast databases of metadata on internet traffic crossing the UK, for up to 30 days after data is sent. Content of communications is retained for up to three days.

The lawyers’ letter gives BT, Verizon Business, Vodafone Cable, Global Crossing, Level 3, Viatel and Interoute two weeks to answer questions about their policies on compliance with the intelligence-gathering program. They have also been asked about what legal requests they have received, and about any payments for giving intelligence agencies access for tapping internet cables.

Read the rest: Privacy International to challenge telecoms firms over GCHQ cooperation | UK news | The Guardian.