Current Event 12
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15916822/
The Associated Press
November 27, 2006
The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), a Belgian-based bank data transfer agency, broke European privacy laws when it gave personal data to U.S. authorities for use in anti-terror investigations. The data was transferred secretly without notifying Belgian authorities. The data transfer between the U.S. Treasury and SWIFT began after the September 11th attacks. SWIFT argues that it had no choice but to abide by the U.S. subpoenas for the data. If it had refused to give the U.S. the information it would have faced fines and possibly jail time.
Those involved are SWIFT, the EU panel that investigated the data transfer, the U.S. Treasury, and Belgium.
This affects people whose bank data may have been transferred to the U.S. Treasury.
The ethical issue addressed is whether or not it is ethical for SWIFT to transfer the data, knowing there are laws against it. SWIFT is in a tough spot, because if they do it (which they did) they get in trouble with the European authorities, but if they don't do it, they get in trouble with the U.S.
The impact to society is that some people had their data transferred to the U.S., even though a European law prevents it. Also, this makes it hard to figure out whose laws to follow when they conflict.
I think it depends on whose side you're on whether it's good or bad. It is bad for the Europeans, but good for the United States since we have the data.
The Associated Press
November 27, 2006
The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), a Belgian-based bank data transfer agency, broke European privacy laws when it gave personal data to U.S. authorities for use in anti-terror investigations. The data was transferred secretly without notifying Belgian authorities. The data transfer between the U.S. Treasury and SWIFT began after the September 11th attacks. SWIFT argues that it had no choice but to abide by the U.S. subpoenas for the data. If it had refused to give the U.S. the information it would have faced fines and possibly jail time.
Those involved are SWIFT, the EU panel that investigated the data transfer, the U.S. Treasury, and Belgium.
This affects people whose bank data may have been transferred to the U.S. Treasury.
The ethical issue addressed is whether or not it is ethical for SWIFT to transfer the data, knowing there are laws against it. SWIFT is in a tough spot, because if they do it (which they did) they get in trouble with the European authorities, but if they don't do it, they get in trouble with the U.S.
The impact to society is that some people had their data transferred to the U.S., even though a European law prevents it. Also, this makes it hard to figure out whose laws to follow when they conflict.
I think it depends on whose side you're on whether it's good or bad. It is bad for the Europeans, but good for the United States since we have the data.
posted by Emily @ 3:43 PM
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