Constitutional court invalidates blanket communications data retention

Today, the French Constitutional Court annulled a scheme in place until 2021 to collect call data records and the location data of the entire population to support the prosecution of crime. It did not rule on the current French law on data retention, which is now being justified on the grounds of protecting “national security.”

MEP Dr. Patrick Breyer (Pirate Party) comments:

“Only yesterday a survey revesled a massive chilling effect of mass communications data retention, which endangers citizens in need of support. In Germany and Europe, this most harmful mass surveillance method of all finally needs to be off limits – no matter which justification is used!”

Press release on the survey results accessible here.