Chipping the tooths of the Ipred law
Another translation of a newspaper article, this one also on broadband operators in Sweden choosing not to store customer data:
Swedish telecom-operator Tele 2 are going to follow Bahnofs example and destroy all user data that could be requested in accordance with the Ipred law, under which Swedish operators can be required to disclose user information in order to trace illegal file sharing.
Some time ago, the Swedish broadband operator Bahnhof announced that they will not store this information. Current legislation states that it is voluntary to save customer traffic data and thus Bahnof could circumvent the new Ipred-law, since they can’t disclose information they haven’t stored. Telecom-operator All Tele also announced that they wouldn’t save any user traffic data shortly after.
And now Tele 2 is doing the same.
“There is a strong wish from our customers and therefore we have decided to no longer keep records of customers’ IP addresses”, vice president for Tele 2 Sweden, Niclas Palmstierna, says to TT.
“We do this to strengthen the protection of customer privacy. Earlie, we have saved some information on customers’ IP addresses for internal use, but now the question of integrity is put to a head since the Ipred-law where finalized.”, he says.
Palmstierna admits that the decision is also a way to strengthen Tele 2’s position on the market.
“Yes, that goes without saying that if you meet your clients’ needs, it of course gives you a competitive advantage. There is nothing strange with that. And if in turn it will generate new customers, we’re happy about it.”, he says.
The question is if you are bypassing the legislators intention with the Ipred law when destroying user traffic data.
”There is nothing in the law on electronic communication that states what you should save, only what you can’t save. We’ve analyzed the law and this situationcarefully and have come to the conclusion that we are in no way obligated to store our customers IP-adresses. If the rules were to change, we will of course oblige by it.”, Palmstierna says.
Tele 2 has approximately 600.000 broadband customers in Sweden.
Original article: di.se – Tele 2 kringgår Ipredlagen
