Can data protection provide public security and private rights?
As the draft directive on data protection in electronic communication reaches the last stage of its passage through the European Parliament, new questions about the balance needed between security and confidentiality have surfaced. A European Commission spokesman has said that ongoing discussions between Member States, the European Parliament and the Commission are focusing how to achieve a 'pragmatic balance' between the new security imperative and individual privacy rights. While Europe decides its stance, Bill Clinton has weighed in with his contribution to the debate in the USA. The former US President claims that technology can play a key role in defeating terrorism. Information management systems similar to those used by the big mass mailing companies could provide an early warning about suspicious behaviour, he says. Legitimate questions can be investigated, he says: 'Does someone with a Visa have 10 addresses? If they do, they are either really rich or up to no good'. The European Commission spokesman acknowledged that 'there are exceptions, in certain circumstances, to confidentiality'. However, the new emphasis on security had to balanced against 'the basic human right to privacy', he added, saying he was 'hopeful of a rapid resolution' to the current inter-institutional discussions.