The European Court of Justice, the highest court in the European Union, has just ruled that member states cannot collect electronic communications data on citizens through spying techniques. Gathering such “general and indiscriminate information” is against EU law. The rule delivers a blow to governments that went too far on expanding their surveillance power.
The ruling explains that governments cannot force internet and mobile operators to store and provide their users’ traffic and location data for intelligence purposes. The only exception is when a member state is confronting a present or foreseeable threat to national or public security, it is then allowed to temporarily derogate from the obligation.
Even under these emergent circumstances, interfering with fundamental human rights still should be reviewed by an independent administrative authority or a court.
友善讓你懂｜解說：
國家可以隨心所欲地監視國民一切行為嗎？歐盟最高層級的法院「歐洲法院」近日裁定，會員國不可以透過情蒐手段，來大量收集民眾包括網路及行動通訊數據等等的電子通訊資料。這樣廣泛全面、而且無特定對象地蒐集人民資訊，違反了歐盟的法令。這項裁決對那些過度擴張國家監控權力的政府，無疑是一次重擊。
這項裁決也說明了，政府不能夠強迫網路商及行動通訊公司，基於情報目的來配合提供用戶的數據流量及定位資訊。唯一例外的情況，是當會員國當下或即將面臨國家或公眾安全的威脅，在這個前提下，可以暫時偏離現在必須遵守的規定。
不過，即使萬一真的面臨到如此緊急的狀況，這些侵犯基本人權的行為，還是必須要由獨立行政機構或法庭來進行檢視才可以。
輕鬆帶著走｜學習：
- a blow to sb/sth （對人/事）帶來重重一擊
例句：
The death of their baby girl was a severe blow to their family.
小女兒夭折對他們家是非常沈重的打擊。
- derogate from sth 偏離、背離
例句：
What he did derogated from the agreement.
他的所作所為背離了原本的協議。
其他單字：
- rule v. 裁定、判決；ruling (n.) 裁定、判決
- indiscriminate (adj.) 無差別的
- surveillance (n.) 監視
- intelligence purposes 情報目的
- obligation 必須要做的事、責任
- interfering with 干擾、妨礙
- fundamental 基本的、主要的
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