Ellen Wallace
[Update, 03 July: today's Le Temps carries a lengthy article about how useful video cameras have been in Britain's efforts to track down terrorists. The balancing act between protecting the public and protecting its right to privacy will not become simpler in the near future.]
It’s so rare to see a government document use a delicious word like "dithering" to describe government officials that I gleefully draw your attention to it. The document is the annual report from the privacy watchdog department, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. The frank words: "Last year, the Commissioner pointed out on more than one occasion that there was still no formal legal basis governing the use of army reconnaissance drones
by the border police. After much dithering, the Federal Council finally
agreed to remedy this legal shortcoming and thus to also regulate the
use of surveillance equipment for civilian purposes."
Will this weekend’s events in Britain, and renewed fears in Europe of terrorism acts bring back dithering?
GenevaLunch, 2 July 2007.
Filed under: Technology
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