Country Reports
Comparative Global Reports
Mapping communications surveillance laws in Southern Africa (2020)
This report by Media Policy and Democracy Project, Murray Hunter and Admire Mare maps surveillance laws in South Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and eSwatini. This research attempts to map out basic features of communications surveillance laws in 12 southern African countries to assess the extent to which the legal frameworks for digital surveillance meet or fall short of international best practices.
Comparative Analysis of Surveillance Laws and Practices in Latin America (2016)
This report by EFF provides a comparative analysis of surveillance laws in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay, with recommendations for a way forward.
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Argentina
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Argentina (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Argentina's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis types of communication data, companies’ obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Argentina
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Argentina (2016)
This report by CELE analyzes Argentina’s constitutional privacy protections as well as the legal framework on communication privacy in criminal and intelligence matters. It also assesses domestic laws’ compliance with the country's international human rights obligations.
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Brazil
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Brazil (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Brazil's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis types of communication data, companies’ obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Brazil
State Surveillance of Communications in Brazil and the Protection of Fundamental Rights (2016)
This report by InternetLab analyzes Brazil’s constitutional privacy protections as well as the legal framework on communication privacy in criminal and intelligence matters. It also assesses domestic laws’ compliance with the country's international human rights obligations.
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Chile
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Chile (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Chile's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis types of communication data, companies’ obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Chile
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Chile (2016)
This report by Derechos Digitales analyzes Chiles’ constitutional privacy protections as well as the legal framework on communication privacy in criminal and intelligence matters. It also assesses domestic laws’ compliance with the country's international human rights obligations.
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Colombia
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Colombia (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Colombia's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis types of communication data, companie’s obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Colombia
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Colombia (2016)
This report by Katitza Rodríguez and Juan Camilo Rivera analyzes Colombia’s constitutional privacy protections as well as the legal framework on communication privacy in criminal and intelligence matters. It also assesses domestic laws’ compliance with the country's international human rights obligations.
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Costa Rica
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Costa Rica (2018)
This report by Access now outlines Costa Rica's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis the types of communication data, companies' obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.(Spanish only)
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El Salvador
Digital Privacy for Human Rights Defenders? (2016)
This report by Fundación Acceso provides a comparative analysis of surveillance laws in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, with recommendations for a way forward. (Spanish only).
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Guatemala
Digital Privacy for Human Rights Defenders? (2016)
This report by Fundación Acceso provides a comparative analysis of surveillance laws in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, with recommendations for a way forward. (Spanish only).
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Honduras
Digital Privacy for Human Rights Defenders? (2016)
This report by Fundación Acceso provides a comparative analysis of surveillance laws in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, with recommendations for a way forward. (Spanish only).
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Mexico
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Mexico (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Mexico's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis the types of communication data, companies' obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Mexico
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Mexico (2016)
This report by Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales analyzes Mexico’s constitutional privacy protections as well as the legal framework on communication privacy in criminal and intelligence matters. It also assesses domestic laws’ compliance with the country's international human rights obligations.
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Nicaragua
Digital Privacy for Human Rights Defenders? (2016)
This report by Fundación Acceso provides a comparative analysis of surveillance laws in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, with recommendations for a way forward. (Spanish only).
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Panama
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Panama (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Panama's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis types of communication data, companies’ obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Paraguay
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Paraguay (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Paraguay’s legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis the types of communication data, companies' obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Paraguay
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Paraguay (2016)
This report by Paraguay analyzes Paraguay’s constitutional privacy protections as well as the legal framework on communication privacy in criminal and intelligence matters. It also assesses domestic laws’ compliance with the country's international human rights obligations.
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Peru
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Peru (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Peru's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis the types of communication data, companies' obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Peru
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Peru (2016)
This report by EFF outlines Peru’s legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis the types of communication data, companies' obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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Spain
The State of Communication and Privacy Law in Spain (2020)
This report by EFF outlines Spain's legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis types of communication data, companies’ obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.
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United States of America
Assessing the Legality and Proportionality of Communications Surveillance in United States Law (2016)
This report by EFF outlines the United States’s legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal and intelligence investigations.
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Uruguay
State Communications Surveillance and the Protection of Fundamental Rights in Uruguay (2016)
This report by By Fabrizio Scrollini, Ana Tuduri and Katitza Rodríguez outlines Uruguay’s legal framework on government lawful access to communications data in criminal investigations. It provides an overview of the national data protection legal framework, government access laws vis-a-vis the types of communication data, companies' obligations to comply with data requests, and transparency obligations and/or practices.