The implications of States’ surveillance of communications on the exercise of the human rights to privacy and to freedom of opinion and expression 2013, para. 39
Paragraph
Paragraph text
In many States, mandatory data retention is facilitating massive collection of communications data that can later be filtered and analysed. Technologies enable the State to scan phone calls and text messages to identify the use of certain words, voices or phrases, or filter Internet activity to determine when an individual visits certain websites or accesses particular online resources. "Black boxes" can be designed to inspect the data flowing through the Internet in order to filter through and deconstruct all information about online activity. This method, called "deep-packet inspection", allows the State to go beyond gaining simple knowledge about the sites that individuals visit, and instead analyse the content of websites visited. Deep-packed inspection, for example, has been reportedly employed by States confronted with recent popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Legal status
Non-negotiated soft law
Body
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Document type
Special Procedures' report
Means of adoption
N.A.
Topic(s)
Governance & Rule of Law
Humanitarian
Year
2013
Paragraph type
Other
Reference
SR Freedom of Opinion, Report to the HRC (2013), A/HRC/23/40, para. 39.