EU Data Protection Laws Debated After Merkel Bugging Row

Facebook.com/storetec

Storetec Services Limited

@StoretecHull www.storetec.net

Ordinary companies may be forced to employ data protection officers to ensure they are compliant with a proposed new EU-wide law if it is introduced, prime minister David Cameron has claimed.

The idea of tightening data protection laws in a bid to increase the security of individuals has become a hot topic after claims emerged that American National Security Agency intelligence agents had been secretly monitoring calls made by German chancellor Angela Merkel on her mobile phone. It has also been alleged in a Guardian report that as many as 35 national leaders have been targeted in similar ways.

Phone tapping between countries who are supposed to be firm allies is one matter, but, according to Mr Cameron, imposing new data protection laws that could place extra burdens on businesses is another. He has been arguing that companies should have less regulation and red tape to deal with, not more.

Companies who are faced with increasing data regulations may find they can outsource the task of dealing with it, something that can already be done when it comes to the storage of information. Indeed, using a remote facility of this kind can be the best way of ensuring individuals are not affected by the loss or theft of data.

While governments in Europe deal with the revelations about American spies, ordinary companies may face threats to their own communication systems for different reasons, from internal miscreants to cyber-criminals hoping to make some money.

The nature and level of threats may have been partly emphasised this month by the revelation that the picture-sharing social media site snapchat has been targeted with an app called Snaphack that can override the system. The site is supposed to work by blocking the recipient of an image from seeing it for more than a few seconds and this has meant it has been used by people sending particularly personal pictures. However, Snaphack – which is not illegal – can store these images.

Its creator UK-based developer Darren Jones told the BBC this month: "My app just proves and informs people that these apps exist and people need to be careful."

So whether the spying is being carried out by cyber-criminals, government agencies or voyeurs, the dangers of lax data security are ever-present.

Storetec News/Blogs."http://www.storetec.net/news-blog/eu-data-protection-laws-debated-after-merkel-bugging-row/". EU Data Protection Laws Debated After Merkel Bugging Row. October

25,2013. Storetec.