7. Provision for Periodic Review of the Lawful Interception Framework
Given the speed at which technology develops, and the potential for communications
surveillance to infringe rights, it is important that there is provision within the legislative
or regulatory framework for periodic review of the law to ensure rights are protected.
Other Considerations to Take into Account in Drafting the Legal Framework
Consistency between the regulation, law and practice:
• Embedding human rights principles into the regulation and laws that provide the
framework for interception and surveillance is insufficient on its own.
• The agencies requesting surveillance must be required to consider the human
rights implications in the requests that they make. This should include
consideration of whether any less intrusive methods are possible, to ensure that
the issue of proportionality is addressed.
• There should be training on the human rights implications and their obligations to
consider them for all agencies who have the powers to make requests. Training
the judiciary is also required.
• Accompanying the legal framework there should be a more detailed code of
practice that sets out how the law is intended to work in practice.
• Where there is more than one law or regulation in place (e.g. telecoms law,
national security law, tax, drug enforcement, cybersecurity legislation etc.) there
must be consistency in the human rights safeguards in place and clarity provided
on which law has primacy in which circumstances.
The role of companies providing service to users:
• Service providers should not be compelled to modify their infrastructure to enable
direct surveillance that eliminates the opportunity for judicial oversight.
• Any request to service providers for access to communications content or data
should be provided in writing, explaining the legal basis for the request including
the requesting government entity and the name, title and signature of the
authorised official. Although it is preferred for requests to be provided in writing it
is recognised that there are certain exceptions provided for by law, for example
emergency situations and immediate risk to life where oral requests are
acceptable, providing they are followed up in writing.
• Service providers should have the right to seek clarification or modification to a
request which does not seem to follow domestic legal procedures (which in turn
should incorporate the internationally accepted human rights protections).
ANNEX TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS:
LAWFUL INTERCEPTION AND GOVERNMENT ACCESS TO USER DATA
39
Annex
to Recs