Press Releases

Facebook announcement: a promising start but mainly a red herring 26/05/2010
Privacy International's response to the latest Facebook announcement is one of disappointment and frustration. Rather than being a bold step forward in the advancement of consumer rights, the latest changes achieve little in terms of improving the overall privacy challenge that Facebook and its users need to navigate.

Privacy organisations praise vote of European Parliament on SWIFT data deal 11/02/2010
Privacy International and EPIC praised a vote today in the European Parliament today that rejected the transfer of financial records to the United States under an interim agreement.

PI announces joint project on European Privacy and Human Rights 13/01/2010
Privacy International and its partners, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and the Center for Media and Communications Studies (CMCS), are pleased to announce their joint project on European Privacy and Human Rights (EPHR). The European Commission’s Special Programme “Fundamental Rights and Citizenship” is funding this project, and it will start February 1, 2010.

PI warns that new ISP interception plans will be illegal 26/11/2009
PI presents its concerns regarding Virgin Media's announcement that it is about to commence a trial of Deep Packet Inspection technology by Detica, known as CView.

PI Joins Free Expression Network 26/06/2009 Privacy International joined the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) at the general meeting in Olso, Norway in June 2009. The network consists of 88 free expression groups from around the world.

Online Behavioural Targeted Advertising – Privacy International’s position 20/04/2009
Privacy International believes that online behavioural targeting for online commercial advertising using the technology of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) is a dangerous and potentially unlawful technique that is fraught with unethical practice. This industry extends across multiple models and strategies including the use of Deep Packet Inspection, Flash Cookies, Tracking Cookies and other emerging technologies.

PI comments on Google's behavioural ad platform 11/03/2009
PI comments on the new behavioural advertising platform from Google.

PI warns that breaches are leading to collapse of public trust in IT systems 20/01/2008
Privacy watchdog warns that data security failures may create imminent collapse of public trust in IT systems and commerce.

Publication of the first international privacy rankings 02/11/2006
On Thursday 2nd November the London—based watchdog group Privacy International will publish the first ever international privacy rankings, scored by country. The rankings establish for the first time that most of the world’s most economically advanced countries have failed to protect the privacy rights of their citizens, while some of the newest and poorest democracies have become best protectors.

PI extends legal action against activities of banking giant 12/07/2006
PI today extended its legal action against the banking giant SWIFT by filing additional complaints, and filing a request under Britain’s Freedom of Information Act to the Bank of England, asking for disclosure of all documents relating to dealings between the two organisations.

PI estimates over 4 million UK financial records sent each year to U.S. 07/07/2006
Following a series of formal complaints to regulators, the privacy watchdog organisation Privacy International has released its estimate of the volume of confidential UK financial data covertly transmitted to the U.S. government.

PI commences legal action to suspend unlawful activities of finance giant 28/06/2006
The privacy watchdog organisation Privacy International has today filed simultaneous complaints with Data Protection and Privacy regulators in seventeen countries concerning recent revelations of secret disclosures of millions of records from the banking giant SWIFT to US intelligence agencies.

PI Calls for Yahoo! Boycott over Chinese Co-operation 07/09/2005
PI calls for a boycott of Yahoo! due to its complicity in the imprisonment of a Chinese journalist.

PI Announces Project on Policy Laundering 13/04/2005
In association with the American Civil Liberties Union and Statewatch, PI to monitor and influence the increasingly common formation of civil liberties-sensitive security policies through international organizations.

US Big Brother Awards 2005 Contenders 28/03/2005
Public nominations for the 7th annual US Big Brother Awards have decisively moved ChoicePoint to the position of lead contender for this year’s shameful “Lifetime Menace” award.

PI Statement on UK ID Card Plans - "Will Create Mass Criminality" 23/11/2004
PI's response to the Queen's Speech on 23 November, which amongst many security proposals, the United Kingdom announced its intentions to introduce a national ID card.

Global Human Rights study warns of endemic privacy threats 18/11/2004
A major international privacy report published today has concluded that governments across the world have substantially increased surveillance in the past year.

Privacy International & EPIC Release 2004 Annual Global Privacy Study 17/11/2004
PI and EPIC released the 7th Privacy and Human Rights report on 17 November 2004. It finds that governments across the world have substantially increased surveillance in the past year and warns that threats to personal privacy have reached a level that is dangerous to fundamental human rights.

PI Calls on Mobile Phone Industry to help stop surveillance abuse 16/11/2004
The London based human rights watchdog Privacy International (PI) today called on cellphone providers in all countries to take immediate action to counter the growing problem of intrusive use of mobile phone cameras.

PI Issues Warning Against Netherlands Identity Campaign 04/11/2004
PI warns that Dutch Justice Ministry's requirements are unlawful and immoral and will breach the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.