A survey of global surveillance activity by Privacy International in 2007 characterized
Denmark as the only Nordic country that is an ‘‘extensive surveillance society,’’ while
Finland, Sweden, and Norway were listed as exhibiting ‘‘systematic failure to uphold
safeguards.’’ 52 This classification included areas of privacy outside of digital life like
democratic safeguards, visual surveillance, and workplace monitoring. Iceland had
‘‘some safeguards but weakened protection.’’ Denmark was placed in the same category
as Bangladesh, France, India, Lithuania, the Philippines, and Romania, and was also
the only Nordic country facing a ‘‘deteriorating situation.’’ Privacy International also
publishes critical Country Reports Overviews 53 of current developments (latest dated
December 14, 2007) in each country and wide-ranging in-depth analysis 54 (latest December 12, 2007) of each country (except Iceland).
The Danish national police IT-Efterforskningscenteret (NITEC), the center for IT
investigations, is in charge of the blacklist for filtering child pornography sites. The
unit has reportedly been investigating techniques for monitoring and deciphering conversations on the free online telephony service Skype. 55 The Danish police refuse to
discuss their investigation methods. At the EU level, the judicial cooperation unit,
EuroJust, 56 has mentioned Skype’s desire to cooperate with EU authorities, dating
back to 2006.
On September 15, 2007, every Danish Internet user came under a comprehensive
surveillance system, covering their history of Web sites visited, incoming and outgoing
e-mails, and use of cell phones. The Danish implementation of the EU ‘‘data logging
directive’’ 57 forces telecommunications companies, ISPs, hotels, Internet cafe ´s, wireless
hotspots, and apartment buildings with private Internet service to log and store information on all personal communication data for at least one year. These logs must be
made available to police without a court order. The stated purpose is to fight terrorists.
Two former heads of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) 58 are on record
as opposing the expanded monitoring as unnecessary, worrisome, and damaging to
the public’s basic democratic rights. 59
In Sweden, no logging law had yet been implemented in mid-2009, but surveillance
of cross-border Internet and telecommunications had. Wiretapping and surveillance
measures in Sweden have become a divisive issue in recent years. Those advocating
the need for increased surveillance point to the threat from international terrorism
and organized crime, and claim that additional measures are necessary to keep pace
with changing technology. Opponents claim the measures extending the scope of surveillance pose a threat to civil liberties.
Following a prolonged political battle on privacy in the Swedish parliament, a law
known as the ‘‘FRA-law’’ narrowly passed in June 2008, giving the Swedish National
Defense Radio Establishment (FRA) the right to monitor all cross-border, cabled communication traffic. 60 In practice, all telephone calls, text messages, faxes, and e-mails
passing into and out of Sweden became subject to surveillance as of January 1, 2009.
Nordic Countries
331
Denmark as the only Nordic country that is an ‘‘extensive surveillance society,’’ while
Finland, Sweden, and Norway were listed as exhibiting ‘‘systematic failure to uphold
safeguards.’’ 52 This classification included areas of privacy outside of digital life like
democratic safeguards, visual surveillance, and workplace monitoring. Iceland had
‘‘some safeguards but weakened protection.’’ Denmark was placed in the same category
as Bangladesh, France, India, Lithuania, the Philippines, and Romania, and was also
the only Nordic country facing a ‘‘deteriorating situation.’’ Privacy International also
publishes critical Country Reports Overviews 53 of current developments (latest dated
December 14, 2007) in each country and wide-ranging in-depth analysis 54 (latest December 12, 2007) of each country (except Iceland).
The Danish national police IT-Efterforskningscenteret (NITEC), the center for IT
investigations, is in charge of the blacklist for filtering child pornography sites. The
unit has reportedly been investigating techniques for monitoring and deciphering conversations on the free online telephony service Skype. 55 The Danish police refuse to
discuss their investigation methods. At the EU level, the judicial cooperation unit,
EuroJust, 56 has mentioned Skype’s desire to cooperate with EU authorities, dating
back to 2006.
On September 15, 2007, every Danish Internet user came under a comprehensive
surveillance system, covering their history of Web sites visited, incoming and outgoing
e-mails, and use of cell phones. The Danish implementation of the EU ‘‘data logging
directive’’ 57 forces telecommunications companies, ISPs, hotels, Internet cafe ´s, wireless
hotspots, and apartment buildings with private Internet service to log and store information on all personal communication data for at least one year. These logs must be
made available to police without a court order. The stated purpose is to fight terrorists.
Two former heads of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) 58 are on record
as opposing the expanded monitoring as unnecessary, worrisome, and damaging to
the public’s basic democratic rights. 59
In Sweden, no logging law had yet been implemented in mid-2009, but surveillance
of cross-border Internet and telecommunications had. Wiretapping and surveillance
measures in Sweden have become a divisive issue in recent years. Those advocating
the need for increased surveillance point to the threat from international terrorism
and organized crime, and claim that additional measures are necessary to keep pace
with changing technology. Opponents claim the measures extending the scope of surveillance pose a threat to civil liberties.
Following a prolonged political battle on privacy in the Swedish parliament, a law
known as the ‘‘FRA-law’’ narrowly passed in June 2008, giving the Swedish National
Defense Radio Establishment (FRA) the right to monitor all cross-border, cabled communication traffic. 60 In practice, all telephone calls, text messages, faxes, and e-mails
passing into and out of Sweden became subject to surveillance as of January 1, 2009.
Nordic Countries
331