Outline
The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, is inviting bids to produce a report with the theme “Are we sleepwalking into a surveillance society? The threats to individuals and the challenges for data protection authorities”. The end product will be a report which will form the centre piece for discussion at the 28th International Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners’ Conference to be hosted by the Commissioner in London on the 2nd-3rd November 2006
Aim
The aim is to provide the Information Commissioner with a report which details the state of development of what may be regarded as a ‘surveillance society’. This should take account of the increasing amount of personal information that is ollected about individuals as they go about their daily lives, how this is being brought together to allow third parties such as government and the private sector to build up potentially intrusive pictures of how they live their lives and the privacy risks that may arise now and in the future. The report should also outline the challenges that face data protection authorities in ensuring proper respect for individuals’ data protection and privacy rights suggesting possible actions. Given the international character of the conference at which the report will be presented, the possibilities for common approaches and action by data protection authorities around the world should be considered. The report should be journalistic in style to allow for the positive engagement of not just the data protection community but other elements of society such as policy makers, data controllers, individuals, civic society organisations and the media.
Background
As technology has advanced so has the capacity to capture, record and store individuals ‘electronic footprints’ as they go about their lives. This can be as a result of consumer focussed business processes such as financial transactions, use of telecommunication facilities, including mobile phones and the internet, through to membership of loyalty card schemes. However, we are increasingly seeing steps by governments to monitor their citizens be this through CCTV, allocation/use of national identity cards and creation of extensive single or interconnected government databases drawing together large amounts of information held about citizens from cradle to grave. Increasingly information held in the private sector is becoming of interest to government such as mobile phone records and credit reference data (for identity verification purposes). Much of this is done in the name of providing better customer service, protecting society against crime and providing better life outcomes for individuals. In the UK there has been a significant increase in the deployment of surveillance technologies and there appears to be no slackening of the pace as new technologies become increasingly available (such as with GPS based road user charging etc). Ironically such developments follow hard on the heels of steps by some countries, who have recently endured totalitarian regimes, to free themselves of the potential for state monitoring of its citizens in future. The relationship between governments and their citizens is being redefined as the capabilities and deployment of surveillance technologies gather pace.
Deliverables
The key deliverable is a report which:-
- Reviews the current state of development of the surveillance society.
- Provides a view on likely future developments
- Assesses potential societal, privacy and data protection impacts of developments
- Outlines the challenges facing data protection and privacy authorities, both in the UK and internationally, and suggests common strategies for successfully rising to the challenge
- Is written in an easily readable, engaging style so it appeals to a diverse readership
Method
The Commissioner is not intending to prescribe the method by which the report is produced or the way in which any background research is undertaken. He welcomes proposals. He will make available his own staff to provide some background input into the research for the report including making available his existing network of relevant contacts should this assist. It is likely that the successful bidder will have proven expertise in the subject area being able to demonstrate a good existing knowledge of the issues and the interrelation between them. It is important that the report is not overly academic in nature and is written in a way that makes it accessible to a non data protection specialist audience. The report should be written in a style that engages the reader and a successful bidder should be able to point to previous examples of work where they have dealt with complex subject matter in a way that not only engages the reader but is also thought provoking.
It is expected that at the start of the project there will be a meeting with the Commissioner’s staff to discuss its conduct and to establish a regime for monitoring progress. The Commissioner’s staff will be available during the course of the project for consultation. Towards the end of the project the Commissioner should be provided with a draft report which can be discussed and agreed before production of the final version. At the project’s conclusion there should be a formal presentation of the report to the Commissioner’s staff. In addition the report’s author may be requested to present the report to the 28th International Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners’ Conference.
There is an appropriate budget for the project and along side the skills and expertise, appropriate value for money will be the key factor in selecting the successful bidder.
Timescale
Whilst the Commissioner would wish to see the study completed as quickly as possible, it is essential that it is completed by 18th September 2006. This is to allow for the report to be translated as appropriate and for circulation to other speakers and delegates before the conference. Proposals should include an expected completion date. He intends to award the contract by 9th June 2006 and expects to receive proposals by the 5th June 2006.
Copyright
The rights of the author(s) to assert authorship will be respected but copyright in the work will rest with the Commissioner to whom all intellectual property rights in the work will be assigned.
The Commissioner may grant to the author(s) a copyright licence for reasonable use of the work by the author(s) for their own purposes, for example publication in journals.
Evaluation
Factors used by the Commissioner to evaluate the bids received will include:-
- the confidence the Commissioner has that the bid will meet his aims and provide the key deliverable
- the breadth and depth of expertise behind the bid
- added value that the bid brings to the Commissioner’s stated
- requirements
- ability to deliver within the required timescale
- cost
Bids
Bids from those interested in undertaking the project should be sent to –
Angela Russell
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Fax: 01625 524510
E-mail: angela.russell@ico.gsi.gov.uk
They should arrive no later than 0900 on Monday 5th June 2006.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of this brief prior to submitting a bid, please contact the report project coordinator:
Jonathan Bamford
Assistant Commissioner
Tel: 01625 545 752
E-mail: jonathan.bamford@ico.gsi.gov.uk
