The Thomas Reuters Foundation has asked ten privacy experts for the top issues in privacy and technology that will arises in the coming year. Silkie Carlo, the Director of Big Brother Watch, cited digital strip searches as one key area of concern.
“From where we have been to who we have spoken to, our phones contain mountains of data that is increasingly sought after by police during investigations. So-called “digital strip searches”, where crime victims are asked to hand over their phones, are becoming common place all around the world.
“In Britain, victims of rape are now routinely required to give police full downloads of their phones, and police can keep the data for 100 years. It’s no coincidence that almost 50% of victims are dropping their cases.
“There’s no law in the UK around this and it’s likely we’ll see a showdown between police, data regulators and privacy advocates in 2020.”
Thomas Reuters Foundation – EXPERT VIEWS-Strip searches and ads: 10 tech and privacy hot spots for 2020