The EU and its people

a failure in democracy

@whvholst@kirst3nf

Story 1

European mass surveillance

...and the repeated resurrection of a Bad Idea™

2006telecommunications

data retention

who are you calling and

who is calling you?

where you are going

at what time you are sending emails & texts and to whom

disproportionate

suspicionless

indiscriminate

disproportionate

suspicionless

indiscriminate

Passenger Name Records

aka air passenger data retention

Other data collected

● Hotel reservations (How many beds did you and your travelling companion ask for in your hotel room?)

● Meal preferences (Kosher? Halal?) ● Special requests (medical conditions? physical

disabilities?)● Reservations and special service requests for tours,

cruises, ground transport, and other travel service● Discount codes (What conference are you attending?)

disproportionate

suspicionless

indiscriminate

Story 2

Wassenaar, a case of civil society failure

● Problem● Solution● Consequences

– Intended– Unintended

Problem

● Arab Spring of 2010-2012● Surveillance tech unearthed● Supplied by Western firms

– Bluecoat– Gamma International– Hacking Team– Also: Nokia and Siemens

Solution (1/3)

● Clear need for regulatory action● Both civil society and the regular military

were deeply uncomfortable with it● So, why not regulate surveillance

technology as a dual purpose good?

Solution (2/3)

„Dual Use Goods“ export controls are internationally coordinated through so-called Wassenaar Arrangement (http://www.wassenaar.org)

Solution (3/3)

● In 2013 surveillance technology and intrusion software were classified as dual use goods and therefore require export licenses

● Transposed into the EU acquis by a delegated act of the European Commission in 2014

Consequences: intended● https://www.caat.org.uk/resources/export-licences/licence?n=0&item=telecommunications+interception+equipment

● In 2015 UK has approved exports of surveillance tech to:– Paraguay– Singapore– Vietnam– Thailand– UAE

– Israel– Pakistan– Ethiopia– Egypt– Bangladesh– Saudi Arabia– Oman– Brunei– Iraq– Turkmenistan– Qatar– Indonesia– Hong Kong– Lebanon

Consequences: unintended

Intrusion software is defined so broadly that about any security researcher who collaborates internationally is committing an economic crime by violating export regulations.

So we have a new problem

UNFAIL

● Some ideas:– GET INFORMED– DEMAND TO BE INFORMED

● Ask your media● Ask your governments for information (FOIA

requests)

– INFORM OTHERS– CONTACT POLIITICIANS

"In many instances activism is only needed because of those complacent people who fail

to exercise their citizenship" - Gabriella Coleman