04 Nov Dutch Citizens to Vote on Mass Surveillance Law
Through the efforts of privacy activists in Netherlands, Dutch citizens will now be able to vote on a new mass surveillance law that could give authorities the power to monitor the country’s internet, and the right to hack into devices.
The campaigners were able to secure 384,126 valid signatures, which, under Dutch law, compels the government to hold a non-binding referendum on the issue. They also said that they only want the law to be changed in such a way that the people’s security and fundamental rights are not infringed upon.
Included in the coalition of parties who pushed to have the law reformed were the Pirate and Libertarian parties, and digital rights groups Bits of Freedom and international NGOs such as Amnesty International.
Source: ZDNet