ACDP calls for a debate on “Balancing privacy and security”

MEDIA RELEASE
Cheryllyn Dudley MP
3rd September 2013

ACDP calls for a debate on “Balancing privacy and security”

•Says degree to which checks and balances are successful will determine whether public trust can be restored
•Questions success of data gathering in counter-terrorism - asks what alternatives there are?

The ACDP plans to call on the National Assembly – at the next sitting of the House in early October to debate the issue of:

“Balancing privacy and security - looking at the reality of how security agencies work and identifying measures to protect the privacy of citizens”. ACDP MP and Member of the International Relations Portfolio Committee, Cheryllyn Dudley said today that:

“Both security and privacy are extremely important and the degree to which we trade one for the other must be a priority concern for us – I for one would definitely like a closer look at just what is at stake as we prioritise both security and privacy and try to find an acceptable balance.”

“Edward Snowden’s revelations have opened up some debate on the issues but to really apply our minds we do need to take into consideration the views of both officials and civil rights and privacy advocates.

“Most of us are not well informed when it comes to how effective checks and balances are and the ACDP sees this as important if public trust is to ever be restored.

“Whether or not data gathering is successful in counter-terrorism has not been obvious and many of us are wondering what, if anything, are the alternatives.

With the NSA building a data centre that will host the world’s largest amount of data - questions are being asked about whether or not agencies can effectively analyse so much information, and whether they can protect it against hackers?