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Story URL: http://www.silicon.com/research/specialreports/protectingid/0,3800002220,39126907,00.htm

Brussels digital snooping plans could hit your pocket
Someone has to pay for data retention...

By Jo Best

Published: Friday 07 January 2005

Plans by the EU to force ISPs to retain data on users will end up hitting average users in the pocket, according the ISP association LINX.

The EU council of ministers is currently working on a framework document that could mean ISPs and telcos having to capture and retain details about their customers, including who they phone, text or email, and even the location of a call.

And that, according to LINX, is unlikely to be funded by the government - pushing up costs for ISPs. Those costs will end up being siphoned out of consumers' wallets, the association has warned.

While ISPs do collect some data on their users for billing and administrative costs, the EU legislation could oblige internet service providers to monitor slabs of white elephant information.

Malcolm Hutty, regulation officer at LINX, said that ISPs who provide 'always on' broadband connections to users could have to monitor precisely when the connection is being used - all for the benefit of the EU.

The European Union recently amended the legislation to remove the time limits individual governments can demand ISPs retain the data for.

In a separate data retention spat, the US government had asked transatlantic airlines to keep data on their passengers for 50 years, although were pressured to accept a three and a half year limit by Europe.

The EU has said it wants to track internet and phone user information to help law enforcement and intelligence authorities.