Interception of Communications

PI’s report on end-to-end encryption (E2EE) analyses and defends expanding the use of E2EE to protect our communications. It defines E2EE, delves into its human rights implications, briefly addresses some prominent proposals for government access to E2EE content, and concludes with PI’s recommendations regarding E2EE.

Long Read

UK mass interception laws violates human rights and the fight continues...

On 25 May 2021, a Grand Chamber judgment against the UK broke new ground in the regulation of bulk interception capabilities requiring enhanced safeguards to protect the rights to privacy and freedom of expression against abuse. It is a complex judgment with lights and shades, and the fight against mass surveillance is not over. Find here our initial take on the judgment and what comes next.

News

19th August 2021

Afghanistan: What Now After Two Decades of Building Data-Intensive Systems?

3rd September 2020

PI’s statement on the ECtHR decision in Privacy International v. UK

16th September 2019

Bulk surveillance is unlawful, says the High Court of South Africa

29th May 2019

Ghosts in Your Machine: Spooks Want Secret Access to Encrypted Messages

12th April 2018

El EPU de Colombia es una oportunidad para avanzar en el respecto del derecho a la intimidad

12th April 2018

Colombia’s UPR is an opportunity to improve the protection of the right to privacy

Examples of Abuse

Want to know how this translate in the real world? Here is the latest example in the news.

Did Mexico Drop $5 Million On This 'Unlimited' Uber-Stealth Spy Tech?

Mexico is one of the biggest buyers of next-generation surveillance technology. And now data leaked to Forbes indicates it's taken an unprecedented step in becoming the first-known buyer of surveillance technology that silently spies on calls, text messages and locations of any mobile phone user

See more examples of abuse

Our Advocacy

PI response to UK Government consultation on Technical Capabilities Notices

Summary

Among the myriad of surveillance powers it already possesses, the UK government wants the power to stop companies - anywhere in the world - from making security improvements to their services without approval. To fall under this power, the company only has to service UK users, and yet the effects will be felt by every user, every where.

Learn

How the police can access your digital communications at a protest

Phone Monitoring

How Bulk Interception Works

Corporate Spies running wild

Links

Places to listen

Report and Analysis

Briefing: Controlling the UK's Private Intelligence Industry

Securing Privacy: PI on End-to-End Encryption