Abstract
The development of technology has challenged legislation in several areas during the last decade. The increase in the amount of data and computer performance, and new software solutions such as artificial intelligence and computer linguistics based intelligent search require a reassessment of the legal barriers to their operations. On the one hand, law enforcement agencies and security services demand increasing access to these technologies to come up to the social expectations in the field of security. On the other hand, civil rights organizations require an ever-stronger oversight of law enforcement agencies and security services to avoid their possible abuse of the most advanced technologies. The paper argues that the only way to resolve this dilemma is to improve the accountability of law enforcement agencies and national security services, thereby increasing public trust. Procedural and technical methods to perform this task are examined. The corresponding EU legal framework is analyzed.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Bundesnachrichtendienst, the foreign intelligence agency of Germany.
- 2.
Government Communications Headquarters, the signals intelligence service of the UK.
- 3.
National Security Agency, the signals intelligence service of the USA.
- 4.
Organization der ehemaligen SS Angehörigen, organization of persons formerly belonging to the SS.
References
Gerny, D.: Das Nachrichtendienstgesetz auf einen Blick. https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/abstimmung-vom-25-september-das-nachrichtendienstgesetz-auf-einen-blick-ld.111204. Accessed 21 March 2021
FRA: Surveillance by intelligence services: fundamental rights safeguards and remedies in the EU, vol. 1, p. 8. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Vienna (2017)
Weber, R.H., Staiger, D.N.: Privacy versus security. In: Kulesza, J., Balleste, R. (eds.): Cybersecurity and Human Rights in the Age of Cybervelliance. Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham (2016)
Born, H., Wills, A.: Overseeing Intelligence Services, A toolkit, DCAF, Geneva (2012)
Ventura, H.E., Miller, J.M., Deflem, M.: Governmentality and the war on terror: FBI project carnivore and the diffusion of disciplinary power. Crit. Criminol. 13, 55–70 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10612-004-6167-6. Accessed 26 May 2021
Schafer, B.: Surveillance for the masses: the political and legal landscape of the UK Investigatory Powers Bill. Datenschutz Datensich 40, 592–597 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11623-016-0664-0. Accessed 26 May 2021
Meyer, D: Spy agency back in court over snooping: you’re abusing mass surveillance powers. https://www.zdnet.com/article/spy-agency-back-in-court-youre-abusing-your-mass-surveillance-powers/. Accessed 24 May 2021
Rojszczak, M.: Extraterritorial bulk surveillance after the German BND act judgment. Eur. Const. Law Rev. 1–25 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1574019621000055
Goodwin, B.: GCHQ bulk interception programme breached privacy rights, Strasbourg court rules (2021). https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252501356/GCHQ-bulk-interception-programme-breached-privacy-rights-Strasbourg-court-court-rules?utm_campaign=20210526_GCHQ+bulk+interception+programme+breached+privacy+rights%2C+Strasbourg+court+rules&utm_medium=EM&utm_source=EDA&asrc=EM_EDA_163354630
Anderson, D.: Report of the Bulk Powers Review. Crown copyright, London (2016)
Kahaner, L.: Competitive Intelligence, p. 104. Touchstone-Simon & Schuster, New York (1997)
Quintel, T.: Connecting Personal Data of Third Country Nationals: Interoperability of EU Databases in the Light of the CJEU’s Case Law on Data Retention. University of Luxembourg Law Working Paper No. 002-2018 (2018)
Schmid, G.: Report on the existence of a global system for the interception of private and commercial communications (ECHELON Interception System). 07th 11th European Parliament Session Document A5–0264/20012001. http://cryptome.org/echelon-ep-fin.htm. Accessed 25 March 2021
Macaskill, E., Dance, G.: NSA Files: Decoded. http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/nov/01/snowden-nsa-files-surveillance-revelations-decoded#section/1. Accessed 25 March 2021
FRA: Surveillance by intelligence services: fundamental rights safeguards and remedies in the EU, vol. 2, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Vienna (2018)
Öcalan v. Turkey. http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-69022. Accessed 25 March 2021
Dickinson, W.B., Mercer, C., Polsky, B.: Watergate: Chronology of a crisis, 1, p. 133, 140, 180 and 188. Congressional Quarterly Inc., Washington D.C. (1973)
Archangelsky, A.: Murder in Moscow: Anna’s legacy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306422016670350. Accessed 01 June 2021
Lichtfield, J.: Sarkozy accused of using security service to spy on journalists. The Independent (2010). https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/sarkozy-accused-of-using-security-service-to-spy-on-journalists-2124599.htm
Mordechai Vanunu gets 18 years for treason - Archive 1988 (1988). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/28/mordechai-vanunu-israel-spying-nuclear-1988
Iley, C.: Valerie Plame Wilson: housewife CIA spy who was a ‘fair game’ for Bush. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/8318075/Valerie-Plame-Wilson-the-housewife-CIA-spy-who-was-fair-game-for-Bush.html. Accessed 25 March 2021
Ball, J.: US and UK struck secret deal to allow NSA to ‘unmask’ Britons’ personal data. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/20/us-uk-secret-deal-surveillance-personal-data. Accessed 25 March 2021
Voelz, G.J.: Contractors and intelligence: the private sector in the intelligence community. https://doi.org/10.1080/08850600903143106. Accessed 01 June 2021
Shorrock, T.: Spies for Hire. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, New York (2008)
Caparini, M.: Controlling and overseeing intelligence services in democratic states. In: Born, H., Caparini, M. (eds.) Democratic Control of Intelligence Services. Routledge, New York (2016)
Regulation (EC) No 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons regarding the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Regulation (EC) No 95/46 (General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR)
Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons regarding the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purpose of the prevention, investigation, detection, prosecution, or enforcement of criminal penalties, and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA. (Privacy Policy, LED)
Article 29 Working Party was an advisory body made up of a representative from the data protection authority of each EU Member State, the European Data Protection Supervisor, and the European Commission. After the entering into force of the GDPR it ended its functioning
WP 258: Opinion on some key issues of the Law Enforcement Directive (EU 2016/680) adopted on 2017 November 29. https://iapp.org/media/pdf/resource_center/wp258_police_directive-11-2017.pdf. Accessed 25 March 2021
Opinion 01/2014 on the WP 211 - Application of the necessity and the proportionality concepts and data protection within the law enforcement sector (2014). https://ec.europa.eu/justice/article-29/documentation/opinion-recommendation/files/2014/wp211_en.pdf. Accessed 31 May 2021
FRA: Towards More Effective Policing Understanding and Preventing Discriminatory Ethnic Profiling: A Guide. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2010). https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/1133-Guide-ethnic-profiling_EN.pdf. Accessed 30 May 2021
Weber and Saravia v Germany (2006). http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-76586. Accessed 01 June 2021
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing
About this paper
Cite this paper
Vadász, P., Ződi, Z. (2021). The Accountability of Intelligence and Law Enforcement Agencies in Information Search Activities. In: Edelmann, N., et al. Electronic Participation. ePart 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12849. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82824-0_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82824-0_16
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-82823-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-82824-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)