The narrow win will come as a relief to Switzerland's main political parties, which had mostly supported plans for the e-ID. Both houses of the Swiss parliament had backed the measure with large majorities and the government had recommended a yes vote. But voters rejected an earlier version of the e-ID in 2021, largely over objections to the role of private companies in the system.
The ICO said the use of what it calls "robo call technology" - avatar software that allows callers to present themselves as people they are not - is making it more difficult to discern genuine calls from those made by predatory marketeers. It said the telltale signs of such calls include slight pauses before responses (indicating call handlers selecting recordings to play), limited flexibility to answer offbeat questions, identical voices and tones, and no background noise or natural breaks in speech.
Bossware systems typically allow employers to track everything from idle time and log-in activity to the use of social media or AI tools. Some go further, offering real-time screenshots, keystroke tracking and app usage analysis. Proponents argue such systems can help prevent insider threats, protect sensitive information and identify productivity issues. But the practice is proving divisive. The CMI found a large minority of managers believe digital snooping undermines trust with staff and risks intruding on personal privacy.
A national digital ID could hand the government the tools for population-wide surveillance - and if history is anything to go by, ministers probably couldn't run it without cocking it up. That's the warning from Big Brother Watch in its new " Checkpoint Britain" report, published just days after Keir Starmer confirmed the government is considering a national digital identity scheme to tackle illegal immigration.
The legal industry has been in full embrace mode when it comes to cloud computing. Data from the American Bar Association and reported in 2023 for example showed cloud usage among lawyers jumped from 60% to 70% overall, with solo practitioners leading the charge, going from 52% to 84% adoption in just one year. The legal tech press has been enthusiastically covering this "digital transformation," with publications like Legal Futures touting how "cloud-first strategy" is proving particularly popular among law firms.
The complaint highlights significant concerns with these tools including the collection, retention, and processing of data presumptively in violation of many of the legal requirements set out in the UK GDPR and the DPA 2018. From PI's perspective, the HO's use of these tools is opaque, lacks a clear and foreseeable justification, processes unjustifiable volumes of personal data, is subject to inadequate human review, and may be adversely impacting migrants who are subject to them.
What began as an isolated incident, which the Ministry of Defence initially sought to keep from public view, has now escalated into a series of catastrophic failings. "We urge the Ministry of Defence to be fully transparent with both those affected and the wider public. Victims should not be forced to learn the truth through legal action or news reports."
Immutable backups prevent ransomware and ensure data integrity, meeting compliance needs with secure, tamper-proof cloud data protection. They safeguard critical data effectively.
"In 2025, surveillance is everywhere. From how we move through the city to how we use our phones, nearly every action leaves a digital trace," Gutiérrez said in a statement. "Right now, the city can collect and share information about how you walk, type or browse - without treating it as sensitive. That needs to change."
As companies explore new ways to use AI, the challenge of balancing innovation with data protection is more important than ever. Security teams are tasked with protecting information while developers face pressure to deliver. Misalignment results in exposed data and overlooked policies, leading to a lack of responsibility.
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