Abstract
This paper analysis the potential use of smart meters as surveillance tools by law enforcement authorities. In assessing the challenges that the introduction of smart meters in the European Union creates for the right to privacy and data protection of individuals the paper takes a fundamental rights approach based on the existing European legal framework, case law and doctrine. The legal analysis is augmented by technical/engineering studies that show the interest that smart meter data has for law enforcement authorities. It is argued that the current EU legal framework is not adequate for addressing the challenges that surveillance via smart meter data creates for the rights of the individuals and that the existing legal gap must be taken into account and used in favour of the protection of the fundamental rights of the individuals.
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- 1.
For the scope of this paper we consider only smart meters that measure the consumption of electricity and not of water or gas. In addition, also our usage of the term “energy” is limited to electric energy and does not cover gas or other forms of energy.
- 2.
With this term in this paper are understood distribution system operators, transmission system operators, electricity supply undertakings or other parties that receive the data directly from the meter in accordance with the electricity distribution system.
- 3.
Analog meters that are still present in those households that have not yet installed smart ones.
- 4.
Director of metering services at Siemens Energy.
- 5.
As defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
- 6.
Joint cases C-293/12 and C-594/12 Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and others [2014] nyr, para. 27.
- 7.
C-180/04 Vassallo v. Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedale San Martino di Genova e Cliniche Universitarie Convenzionate [2006] ECR I-7251, para. 26; M.M. v. The Netherlands, ECHR application no. 39339/98, 8 April 2003, para. 42; A. v. France, ECHR application no. 14838/89, 23 November 1993, paras. 38–39.
- 8.
Kruslin v. France, ECHR application no. 11801/85, 24 April 1990, para. 28.
- 9.
Lambert v. France, ECHR application no. 23618/94, 24 August 1998, para. 40.
- 10.
Ibidem para. 38.
- 11.
Klass v. Germany, ECHR application no. 5029/71, 6 September 1978, para. 50; Weber and Saravia v. Germany, ECHR application no. 54934/00, 29 June 2006, para. 114.
- 12.
Association for European Integration and Human Rights and Ekimdzhiev v. Bulgaria, ECHR application no. 62540/00, 28 June 2007, para. 91.
- 13.
Liberty and Others v. The United Kingdom, ECHR application no. 58243/00, 1 July 2008, para. 63.
- 14.
Weber and Saravia (n 13) para. 78.
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Milaj, J., Mifsud Bonnici, J.P. (2016). Smart Meters as Non-purpose Built Surveillance Tools. In: Schiffner, S., Serna, J., Ikonomou, D., Rannenberg, K. (eds) Privacy Technologies and Policy. APF 2016. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9857. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44760-5_6
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