Traffic Data Retention vs. Data Privacy

The European Commission has recently released a proposed Directive on the Retention of Data Processed in Connection with the Provision of Public Electronic Communications Services (the "Directive"), as part of a package of measures intended to combat terrorism. The Commission also released a detailed Impact Assessment on the proposed Directive. The Commission proposes a uniform retention period of one year for traditional communications, and six months for "electronic communications taking place using wholly or mainly the Internet Protocol.”

Hopefully our own Law Commission will consider the above when drafting South Africa's own Data Protection legislation.