Dutch scrap surveillance law over privacy concerns

A data retention law mandating that ISPs retain customer data has been struck down by a court in The Hague. Assailed by privacy rights advocates, the dragnet allowed law enforcement easy access to customer records going back 12 months.

The law violated data protection and privacy rights, the court found, and was more than “strictly necessary” to meet the claimed needs.

Though the Dutch government claimed the requirements were necessary to fight terorrism, a broad coalition of journalists, activists and lawyers took it to court after the EU Court of Justice struck down the union’s own data retention directive last year.

Though ministers said they wanted to keep the data retention rules, despite the EU court ruling, the court’s ruling takes immediate effect.