It's "1984" in Europe, What About Your Country?

An anonymous reader asks: "A few hours ago, the European parliament accepted a proposal '...on the retention of data processed in connection with the provision of public electronic communication services...'. Summarized: any data (internet connections, traffic, email, file sharing, SMS, phone calls) of 450 million people of Europe has to be collected by telcos, to be used by governments in their fight against 'crime and terrorism' ... oh, and child porn, of course. In Germany, over-the-sea reports are limited and usually do not include the latest developments in law and order, but since Slashdot has readers all over the world, I would like to ask: how is the status of YOUR country in terms of anti-terrorism-laws, observations and such? Any recommendations where one can still live free and unobserved in a non-nanny state?"

A British billion?

[Aelcyx]

I'm guessing that's a British billion (i.e., an American million)...

Re:Do editors even read this site?

[Bananatree3]

I must ask the same question. I am a subscribed member, and have sent 2 emails about the huge typo. So, I must bring in the punishment of irony...

My, that's a big population you have there, Europe! How did you get so big?

Its 1982 here

[Anonymous Coward]

We still think Member's Only jackets are cool.

Neat math

[Ambiguous Coward]

Wow! I had no idea that 9000% of the world's population (give or take) lived in Europe!

Re:Do editors even read this site?

[toetagger1]

"450 billion"

This may explain the odd wobble of the earth's magnetic poles....

EU=3mil sq km / 450 billion pipples

[Ralph Spoilsport]

means each person gets 6 square millimeters of room, if I divided correctly. About a 1/4 inch square for the metrically disinclined.

I've heard that Europeans are skinnier than Americans, but I think that's a bit extreme, don't you?

RS

Ministry of Love

[nephridium]

I consider this legislation doubleplusungood as well and I surely hope parent hasn't posted this from Oceania, because even posting anonymously won't prevent BB from persecuting him for thoughtcrime.

This whole thing reminds me of ACDC's song "We're on a highway to hell", because... - oh hello there uniformed men - I was just posting on Slashdot, nothing to worry.. - aah let me go - neeed to keeep posting...

--- Connection terminated by Miniluv ---

Re:Recommendations?

[CPNABEND]

All you need to do is get one of those "Michael Jackson Bedroom Buttons!" (Patent pending) - He never got caught =)

Re:s/billion/million/

[slashname3]

Somewhere in the world a woman is giving birth every 5 minutes. The mission if you accept is to find this woman and stop her. :)

Re:&Privacy = &Freedom

[pete6677]

That's OK. I keep my appliances, Safeway card, and computer all wrapped in tin foil, so I'm safe.

Sponsored

[Craig Ringer]

"This legislation proudly bought to you by EMC, NetApp, and Sun"

Probably not, but right now I do suspect those three will be partying hard.

i know!

[Anonymous Coward]

emagine a beowulf cluster of....
oh, never mind.

just ask google how they do it. :)

Re:ROFL

[MuckSavage]

95% either in favour of the change, or too lazy or self-involved

You spelled "favor" wrong.

1984??

[stox]

We're behind schedule.

Sincerely,

The National Security Agency

Re:Privacy != Freedom && Freedom != Privac

[Anonymous Coward]

Some people, however, walk over to the cops, open their bags and show them the contents without being asked.

That's nothing.

Once, when I was a kid playing with a friend in Central Park, this guy came over and, without being asked, opened his raincoat.

Re:Correction

[pingveno]

They're monitoring the dead, too.

450 Billion?

[iced_tea]

Wow, Europe sure had alot more people in 1984!

Re:Privacy != Freedom && Freedom != Privac

[Fred_A]

Ah, well it's because the dead can vote here. So they're counted too.

Re:Oh ... Europe ... Europe ... Europe ...

[ynohoo]

Don't panic, it's just another European directive - we'll just ignore it like we do most of them. Even if somebody in power gives enough of a damn to enforce it, it will take ten years for them actually get around to it, and not without much grumbling and demands for the EU to actually fund its implementation, at which point it will get cut from the budget and quietly forgotten about.

Re:s/billion/million/

[Anonymous Coward]

Here in Italy, we call it million and milliard like in other countries. Above that, we call it National Debt.

Re:s/billion/million/

[fishbot]

so if I were to play billiards, I'd need a table big enough for 10^15 balls? +1 for the cue ball, of course.

US beats Europe for 1984

[whitroth]

Come on, we're *far* ahead of Europe in moving towards 1984. We've got Goldstein, er, Osama, Bush, Rove et al are re-"purposing" why they invaded Iraq almost daily, the GOP has completely and totally forgotten every reason they gave for impeaching President Clinton*, and the media, at least until the last month, has almost exclusively reported what the White House and the GOP wanted, denigrating any opposition.

              mark "I am not a number, I am a free radical!"

* draft dodger
    smoked dope (ignore Bush & cocaine)
    lied to Congress
    sent troops in without proper equipment
    sent too few troops in
    no exit strategy
    nation building
    etc, etc, etc...