Google move endangers UK privacy

Moving UK users’ data to the USA makes bulk surveillance easier, and data protection harder.

Jim Killock, Executive Director of Open Rights Group, said:

“Moving people’s personal information to the USA makes it easier for mass surveillance programmes to access it. There is nearly no privacy protection for non-US citizens.

“We have no reason to trust a Donald Trump government with information about UK citizens. The possibilities for abuse are enormous, from US immigration programmes through to attempts to politically and racially profile people for alleged extremist links.

“Data protection rights will also become more fragile, and are likely to be attacked in trade agreements pushing ‘data flows’.

“Google’s decision should worry everyone who think tech companies are too powerful and know too much about us. The UK must commit to European data protection standards, or we are likely to see our rights being swiftly undermined by ‘anything goes’ US privacy practices.”

Notes to the editor

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