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EU Law and Mass Internet Metadata Surveillance in the Post-Snowden Era


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Authors

Ni Loideain, Nora 

Abstract

jats:pLegal frameworks exist within democracies to prevent the misuse and abuse of personal data that law enforcement authorities obtain from private communication service providers. The fundamental rights to respect for private life and the protection of personal data underpin this framework within the European Union. Accordingly, the protection of the principles and safeguards required by these rights is key to ensuring that the oversight of State surveillance powers is robust and transparent. Furthermore, without the robust scrutiny of independent judicial review, the principles and safeguards guaranteed by these rights may become more illusory than real. Following the Edward Snowden revelations, major concerns have been raised worldwide regarding the legality, necessity and proportionality standards governing these laws. In 2014, the highest court in the EU struck down the legal framework that imposed a mandatory duty on communication service providers to undertake the mass retention of metadata for secret intelligence and law enforcement authorities across the EU. This article considers the influence of the Snowden revelations on this landmark judgment. Subsequently, the analysis explores the significance of this ruling for the future reform of EU law governing metadata surveillance and its contribution to the worldwide debate on indiscriminate and covert monitoring in the post-Snowden era.</jats:p>

Description

This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Cogitatio Press via http://dx.doi.org/10.17645/mac.v3i2.297

Keywords

4701 Communication and Media Studies, 4702 Cultural Studies, 47 Language, Communication and Culture, 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Journal Title

Media and Communication

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2183-2439
2183-2439

Volume Title

3

Publisher

Cogitatio