An article written recently for The Times suggested to Turner Little that a lack of privacy could be preventing companies from establishing themselves in the UK.
Right to privacy
The ‘right to privacy’ is enshrined in Article 8 of the EU Convention of Human Rights. This broad-ranging right is often closely connected with freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of association and the right to respect for property. The obligation on EU States under Article 8 is to refrain from interfering with the right itself, and also to take some positive measures, for example, to criminalise extreme breaches of the right to a private life by private individuals.
Private life
The concept of a right to a private life encompasses the importance of personal dignity and autonomy and the interaction a person has with others, both in private or in public. Respect for one’s private life includes:
- Respect for individual sexuality (so, for example, investigations into the sexuality of members of the armed forces engages the right to respect for a private life).
- The right to personal autonomy and physical and psychological integrity, i.e. the right not to be physically interfered with.
- Respect for private and confidential information, particularly the storing and sharing of such information.
- The right not to be subject to unlawful state surveillance.
- Respect for privacy when one has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
- The right to control the dissemination of information about one’s private life, including photographs taken covertly.
Encryption of electronic devices
The application of the right to privacy in the UK was recently questioned in an article written by The Times’ Crime and Security Editor, Fiona Hamilton. In the piece Hamilton essentially says that we have no right to privacy, and that we can and will be prosecuted for exercising our right to privacy.
She explains that convictions of suspects who refuse to hand their encrypted passwords to police have increased sixfold in four years. Law enforcement officials say that encryption of electronic devices is now so advanced that they are “blinded.” The government has published a draft investigatory powers bill which sets out the legal framework for surveillance activities and investigations involving modern technology.
Rights denied
The overwhelming majority of the UK public are honest hard working people, with nothing to hide and some would say “well, why should they worry then?” Because yet another fundamental right is being denied them. It is not they who choose to demand their passwords, it is the authorities.
The individual has had a fundamental right taken away from him. The reaction from the powers that be is yet again over the top. Assuming that 90% of the populace is without sin (as criminal law is concerned) why does that 90% have to be treated as if they are drug dealers, fraudsters, murderers, etc.? Is there any wonder that a growing percentage of the UK population seek more and more confidentiality on a daily basis not because they are criminals, but because they have a right to privacy?
Turner Little
Following the same line of logic, these concerns may be preventing companies from establishing themselves in the UK. However if you establish an Offshore Company, or use Offshore Banking services such as those provided by Turner Little, you can safeguard your firm’s right to privacy.
Turner Little was founded in 1998 and it has since become a well-established UK based professional Company Registration Agents, Registered Bank Intermediaries and Business Consultants, as well as Trust providers.
