SOURCE: ComputerWeekly.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The European Parliament has voted to expand Europol\u2019s role, legalising its processing of bulk datasets containing personal information and endorsing research into predictive policing technologies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The European Parliament has voted to give Europol wide powers to collect and process data on individuals, including people not suspected of any crime, in a move that significantly widens the power of the European police agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MEPs voted on 4 May<\/a> to widen the mandate of Europol to collect personal data from tech companies, including telecoms and internet suppliers and social media firms, and to collect and analyse data from countries outside the European Union (EU).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The proposals<\/a> also give Europol the go-ahead to develop algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) systems capable of making automated decisions and developing predictive policing models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Parliament\u2019s draft regulation<\/a> effectively overturns an order<\/a> by the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) in January 2020 that required Europol to delete swathes of personal data it had collected and processed unlawfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MEPs voted by 480 in favour of a significant expansion of Europol\u2019s role, with 142 against and 20 abstentions, in a move that will extend Europol\u2019s use of big data and artificial intelligence in criminal investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The proposed regulation introduces measures to protect the privacy of individuals, including the appointment of a fundamental rights officer at Europol and independent oversight by the EDPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA \u2018massive, unchecked expansion\u2019 of powers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n