Policy Observatory
IT Worlds brings to attention the fact that the U.K. will set up a specialist unit that will use high-tech capabilities to hunt down pedophiles on the Tor anonymity network and other dark corners of the Web. The unit will combine the investigatory expertise of the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (NCA) with those of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the U.K’s intelligence service, to tackle the worst cases of child sexual exploitation online.
France implements Internet censorship without judicial oversight
Wed 11 Mar 2015, 20:00
The recent terrorist attacks in Europe have led to many statements implying the necessity of limiting citizens’ fundamental rights to ensure public safety. At the European level we are faced with the alarming prospect of air passenger data (Passenger Name Records, PNR) collection and long-term storage, while in France the legislative mills are turning even faster.
Last week, the French government enacted a decree that enables the de-listing of websites from search engines without any judicial oversight. The decree targets websites that distribute child abuse content as well as sites that incite or endorse terrorism. This comes only a month after another decree that enabled the administrative blocking of websites.
UK specialist for catching dark net pedophiles
Thu 11 Dec 2014, 19:20
French government orders website block
Thu 19 Mar 2015, 17:57
The French authorities have used new powers to block five websites, which they claim condone terrorism, without a court order. Internet service providers have 24 hours to comply. The chairman of European Internet Service Provider OVH tweeted that his firm had not been given any warning. The new powers apply to sites suspected of commissioning or advocating terrorism or distributing indecent images of children.