Description
The project is an answer to the problem of insufficient human rights protection in the field of the new surveillance techniques (e.g. personal data protection law not adapted to the digital reality, poor control over special services activities, unclear rules of using visual monitoring), resulting from insufficient information and political will, and the absence of informed and critical public debate on the issue. Activities planned under the project: (I) monitoring and research (basis for the other activities); (II) advocacy and intervention (directed to decision-makers and other persons engaged in the process of law making and enforcement); (III) information and animation of public debate (directed in particular to active citizens, social organizations, opinion leaders, media). The project should result in a direct control over public institutions engaged in the process of law making in the field of surveillance, and creating opportunities for citizens to exercise such control.
Summary of project results
"Development of new technologies creates new opportunities to participate in social life, but on the other hand it allows for closer control over society in general. Surveillance is used in various areas both by the government and by business entities. However, the Polish law lacks sufficient regulations to protect citizens from abuses related to such surveillance. The situation results from insufficient political will and knowledge on the part of persons participating in law-making processes and the lack of public debate that would show how surveillance technologies can infringe on human rights. The aim of the project was to influence government policies trough presenting to decision-makers and persons participating in the law-making processes arguments for adopting solutions conducive to human rights protection (the right to privacy) and through animating discussions on the new forms of surveillance. Arguments of the organisation were taken into account e.g. during preparation of new regulations on personal data protection and functioning of the Business Information Bureau, as well as the act on social assistance and inborn developmental deficiencies. The Panoptykon Foundation initiated a broad discussion in media on visual monitoring, and institutions responsible for its use started to choose more carefully the places where CCTV cameras are installed (e.g. such camera was removed from the lavatory in the Central Railway Station in Warsaw). The Foundation conducted systematic research, advocacy and intervention activities concerning the reform of regulations on personal data protection, visual monitoring and powers of secret services. The activities included: analysing information on activities of 80 central and local government institutions, participation in law-making processes, interventions in 5 cases of abuse (such as disclosing recordings from police CCTV cameras, from cameras in buses in Łódź, copy trolling). The Foundation published over 380 articles on its web page and 13 articles in nationwide papers (such as Gazeta Wyborcza, Polityka weekly, Dziennik Opinii), and also took part in over 30 important conferences and events. As a result representatives of the authorities were given opportunity to analyse various arguments concerning new forms of surveillance, while citizens could get acquainted with reliable materials concerning e.g. secret of special services, visual monitoring, protection of personal data. "
Summary of bilateral results