The BBC reports from the International Data Protection and Privacy Commissioner’s conference in Montreal. Their correspondent is gloomy about the efficacy of our current privacy laws:

Critics argue that both notice and consent are today little more than legal fictions, as consumers ignore overly complex notices and shrinking technology makes it virtually impossible to obtain informed consumer consent.

And he goes on to note that many things that it was once though not necessary to apply privacy law to (e.g. details of what you buy, or even which web sites you browse) are now major causes of concern. Privacy experts are, it appears, very worried by all this.

Me, I’m more worried by the news that US immigration will soon be taking all 10 fingerprints on entry to the country, not just two. I suppose I should be pleased, as this will lessen the chances of them erroneously identifying me as a terrorist, but I suspect the primary effect is going to be much longer lines at passport control.