UN Privacy Rapporteur Sets High Goals

Abstract

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right of Privacy (SRP), Prof Joseph Cannataci, delivered his first Report to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016, eight months into his three year term.

One of the strengths of this Report is that it gives a reasonably clear idea of the SRP’s views on what are the greatest threats to the global protection of privacy, and his initial responses to those threats. As well as outlining and discussing those views, this article also discusses how he highlights the fundamental role of the purpose-specification principle in data privacy protection, and his approach to the role of international agreements on privacy. It concludes by looking at the resources available to a UN Special Rapporteur.

Keywords: UN, data protection, privacy, Special Rapporteur, surveillance, cyberpeace