Faisant suite à la condamnation à l’unanimité du Royaume-Uni par la Grande Chambre de la Cour EDH, la Commission constitutionnelle de la Chambre des Lords a publié un rapport très inquiet pour les libertés des personnes, tranchant avec la position qu’elle avait prise à l’occasion du procès Marper, en faveur d’un fichage génétique intensif « pour le futur » (S. et Marper c. Royaume-Uni, 4 décembre 2008 voir le billet).
House of Lords
Constitution Committee - Second Report
Surveillance: Citizens and the State
Here you can browse the report which was ordered by the House of Lords to be printed 21 January 2009.
Lettre Droits-libertés par Sylvia PREUSS-LAUSSINOTTE
Dans son rapport, la Commission analyse les effets de deux pratiques qui ont pris une grande ampleur au Royaume-Uni :
- la vidéosurveillance (CCTV Closed-Circuit Television, avec le plus grand chiffre mondial de systèmes de vidéosurveillance) dont le rapport souligne l’inefficacité et le coût au regard des objectifs affichés et des résultats obtenus en matière de criminalité ;
- le fichage génétique dans la plus grande base de données mondiale, la National DNA Database (NDNAD) qui contient 7,39 pour cent de la population britannique, développée avec un objectif ambigu : celui de ficher le maximum de personnes au nom de la lutte contre la criminalité, y compris les personnes soupçonnées ou mises hors de cause.
Le rapport conclue au risque de mise en place insidieuse d’une société de surveillance en dehors de tout débat démocratique, et souligne les graves risques que font courir ces technologies : les bénéfices invoqués pour les développer ne suffisent pas à justifier les risques qu’elles font courir aux libertés.
Surveillance : les citoyens et l’Etat (en anglais) - Constitution Committee
House of Lords Session 2008-09
Publications on the internet
Constitution Committee Publications
Constitution Committee - Second Report
Surveillance: Citizens and the State
Here you can browse the report which was ordered by the House of Lords to be printed 21 January 2009.
CONTENTS
Terms of Reference
Chapter 1: Introduction—the Committee report
- BackgroundDevelopments during the course of the inquiry
Box 1: Timeline of main events
A “constitutional approach”
Acknowledgements
Chapter 2: Overview of surveillance and data collection
- Part One—Key definitionsBackground
Two broad types of surveillance
Uses of personal data
Data sharing
Data matching
Data mining and profiling
Privacy
Data protection
Part Two—Characteristics of contemporary surveillance and data use
The role of technology
The impetus behind surveillance and data use
Large-scale, routine practices
The availability of technology
The global flow of personal data
Public sector and private sector data uses
Chapter 3: Advantages and disadvantages of surveillance and the use of personal data
- Advantages of surveillance and the collection of personal data—Law enforcement and public safetyCCTV
DNA
Covert surveillance
Combating fraud
Advantages of surveillance and the collection of personal data—Provision of public services
Data collection and public policy formation
Disadvantages of surveillance and the collection of personal data
The threat to privacy and social relationships
Surveillance and trust in the State
Surveillance and discrimination
Surveillance and personal security
Chapter 4: Legal Regulation and Safeguards
- The Human Rights Act 1998The Data Protection Act 1998
The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
Operation of the RIPA regime
Local authority powers under RIPA
The National DNA Database
Regulation of the National DNA Database
Regulation of CCTV
Chapter 5: Regulators
- IntroductionBox 2: The Commissioners
The Information Commissioner
Codes of practice
Consulting the Commissioner
Audit and inspection powers
The Commissioner’s power to levy penalties
Resources
The RIPA commissioners
The regulatory structure
Quality of oversight
The Investigatory Powers Tribunal
Chapter 6: Government
- Privacy protection in government: strengthsPrivacy protection in government: addressing weaknesses
Privacy Impact Assessment and risk
Necessity and proportionality
The limits of legal regulation
Technological safeguards: strengths
The limits of technological solutions
Chapter 7: Parliament
- IntroductionPrimary legislation
Secondary legislation
Enhancing the quality of scrutiny
Chapter 8: The Role of Citizens
- IntroductionThe individual citizen’s role
Consent
Public opinion, beliefs and engagement
Public opinion and attitudes
Transparency and public engagement
Collective efforts
Chapter 9: Recommendations
Appendix 1: Select Committee on the Constitution
Appendix 2: List of Witnesses
Appendix 3: Acronyms
Appendix 4: Visit Note—21-25 April 2008
NOTE: The Report of the Committee is published in Volume I (HL Paper 18-I)
The Evidence of the Committee is published in Volume II (HL Paper 18-II)
References in the text of the Report are as follows:
(Q) refers to a question in oral evidence
(p) refers to a page of written evidence