UN expert urges worldwide online privacy treaty; slams intrusive state-backed cyber surveillance

Geneva

THE world needs an international treaty to protect people's privacy from unfettered cyber surveillance, which is being pushed by populist politicians preying on fear of terrorism, according to a UN report debated on Wednesday.

The report, submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the UN independent expert on privacy, Joe Cannataci, said traditional privacy safeguards such as rules on phone tapping were outdated in the digital age.