Irish watchdog won't probe Apple, Facebook over PRISM... but COULD IT?

I understand the British government are in bed with the Yanks and their rather sordid immoral voyeristic lunacy, and couldn't care less about law as long as it keeps their 'friends' across the pond happy.

They've proven they'll happily start shooting people anywhere (like Iraq et al). So a little privacy invasion or 'turning a blind eye to people being extraordinary renditioned to some grubby little American controlled hole somewhere for a bit of torture' is all to be expected from such spineless twats.

I can't understand why everyone elses government is allowing the American government to shit all over the right to privacy of their citizens? What are they afraid of?

It's not just this one case - this *regulator* needs investigating

I've had an eye on the Irish regulator for quite some time now, because to me it starts to look more and more that their primary role is not enforcing Data Protection laws, but giving the OK to companies that blatantly break it. You know, more or less like the UK banking ombudsman which is more delaying tactic than help.

I would really like someone to show me a case where the Irish regulator has actually acted to enforce the law and protect personal information, and please don't come to me with the Facebook story because that's exactly the point where it became crystal clear to me what they were really doing, rather than just a vague feeling of unease.

What I want to know is if this is their own initiative, or they are doing on orders of the local government keen to allow businesses almost anything as long as they keep bringing in the cash.

Banking Regulators vs. Data Regulators....

Regulators are all about illusion. They are smoke and mirrors created to placate or baffle the masses, deflecting attention away from the shenanigans of mega-corps.... Our Governments are pro-business, not pro-consumer. In times of austerity, this is especially so. See PPI and Libor Fixing as examples, Governments knew about this a decade ago and did nothing!

We offer 'Every assistance short being helpful'

I asked the DPC whether or not Google Analytics data was fed into the Big-G's Ad engine?. Their response. We don't know and we don't care. I asked them why Facebook's 'Download your Data' feature omits half my emails? Their response: it doesn't matter to us as users can still trawl through old emails using the UI albeit clumsily without a download feature...

Irish DPC eerily similar to Irish banking regulator... ?

A. Technically unsophisticated / understaffed in comparison to those they're policing...

B. Toothless when it comes to handing done penalties to offenders....

C. Frequently cosy with those they're overseeing...

Irish DPC = former Irish banking regulator...

A. Technically unsophisticated / understaffed in comparison to those they're policing...

B. Toothless when it comes to handing done penalties to offenders....

C. Frequently cosy with those they're meant to oversee...

I asked the DPC whether or not Google Analytics data was fed into the Big-G's Ad engine?. Their response. 'We don't know and we don't care'. I asked them why Facebook's 'Download your Data' feature omits half my emails? Their response: 'it doesn't matter to us as users can still trawl through old emails using the UI' albeit clumsily without a download feature...

Regulators are all about illusion. They are smoke and mirrors created to placate or baffle the masses, deflecting attention away from the shenanigans of mega-corps.... Our Governments are pro-business, not pro-consumer. In times of austerity, this is especially so. See PPI and Libor Fixing as examples, Governments knew about this a decade ago and did nothing!

You quote the UK Act

"Where in any proceedings under this Act a question arises —

(i) whether the adequate level of protection specified in subsection (1) of this section is ensured by a country or territory outside the European Economic Area to which personal data are to be transferred, and

(ii) a Community finding has been made in relation to transfers of the kind in question,

— the question shall be determined in accordance with that finding”.

In other words, when a question arises about the adequacy of protection, the question shall be determined in accordance with "a Community finding (that) has been made in relation to transfers of the kind in question".

My understanding is that the "Safe Harbour" designation represents exactly such a "Community finding" - in other words, the ODPC's hands are tied - Safe Harbour specifies that whatever data protection laws apply in the Safe Harbour location are deemed "adequate". If the NSA access in the US doesn't breach US DP laws (as if!) then there isn't a breach for the ODPC to investigate.

That's exactly what Safe Harbour was designed to do, and the ODPC in Ireland doesn't have the option of ignoring Safe Harbour that was granted by the EU.