Fwd: Privacy International seeks entries in "stupid security" contest

[Fred Baker <fred@cisco.com>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 11:28:30 -0500
From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
To: politech@politechbot.com
Cc: stupidsecurity@privacy.org
Subject: FC: Privacy International seeks entries in "stupid security"
    contest

[I have the honor of being a judge in this competition. Please send your
suggestions to stupidsecurity@privacy.org. --Declan]

---

Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 16:37:47 +0000
To: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
From: Simon Davies <s.g.davies@lse.ac.uk>

Hi Declan,

it would be terrific if you could get this out on Politech.

Best wishes

Simon



PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL

ONE WEEK LEFT TO HELP FIND THE WORLD'S MOST STUPID SECURITY MEASURE

Global competition will identify absurd and pointless security requirements
http://www.privacyinternational.org/activities/stupidsecurity/

11th February 2003

Embargo:  Immediate release
The human rights watchdog Privacy International has launched a competition
to discover the world's most pointless, intrusive, annoying and
self-serving security measures.

The "Stupid Security" award aims to highlight the absurdities of the
security industry. Privacy International's director, Simon Davies, said his
group had taken the initiative because of "innumerable" security
initiatives around the world that had absolutely no genuine security benefit.

"The situation has become ridiculous" said Mr Davies. "Security has become
the smokescreen for incompetent and robotic managers the world over".

"I have stood for ages in a security line at an inconsequential office
building and grilled relentlessly only to be given a security pass that a
high school student could have faked. And I resent being forced to take off
my shoes at an airport that can't even screen its luggage" he said.

Even before 9/11 a whole army of bumbling amateurs has taken it upon
themselves to figure out pointless, annoying, intrusive, illusory and just
plain stupid measures to "protect" our security.

It has become a global menace. From the nightclub in Berlin that demands
the home address of its patrons, to the phone company in Britain that won't
let anyone pay more than twenty pounds a month from a bank account, the
world has become infested with bumptious administrators competing to hinder
or harass us. And often for no good reason whatever.

Unworkable security laws and illusory security measures do nothing to help
issues of real public concern. They only hinder the public and intrude
unnecessary into our private lives.

Until March 15th 2003 Privacy International is calling for nominations to
name and shame the worst offenders. Nominations in the form of stories and
anecdotes are most welcome.

The competition will be judged by a panel of well-known security experts,
public policy specialists, privacy advocates and journalists.
The competition is open to anyone. Nominations can be sent to
stupidsecurity@privacy.org  Winners will be announced at the 13th
Computers, Freedom & Privacy conference in New York on April 4th.

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES TO EDITORS

- Privacy International (PI) is a human rights group formed in 1990 as a
watchdog on surveillance by governments and corporations. PI is based in
London, and has an office in Washington, D.C.  Together with members in 40
countries, PI has conducted campaigns throughout the world on issues
ranging from wiretapping and national security activities, to ID cards,
video surveillance, data matching, police information systems, and medical
privacy, and works with a wide range of parliamentary and
inter-governmental organisations such as the European Parliament, the House
of Lords and UNESCO.

- PI's website is www.privacyinternational.org The award page can be found
at:          http://www.privacyinternational.org/activities/stupidsecurity/

- The competition will be judged by a panel of well-known security experts,
public policy specialists, privacy advocates and journalists. Details are
on the PI competition page above.

- Simon Davies can be reached at simon@privacy.org and in the UK on 07958
466 552




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