Birkett EC3Legal – Bulk interception of data: a breach of privacy

Author - Various

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that GCHQ’s methods of bulk interception of online communications (under RIPA2000) violated rights to privacy and freedom of expression.

The case came about following Edward Snowden’s whistleblowing in 2013, exposing the UK and USA’s bulk interception and sharing of intelligence (including GCHQ). The applicants’ complaints related to the scope and extent of interception of online communications; receipt of intelligence from foreign intelligence services; and the acquisition of communications data from Communication Service Providers.