"(SWIFT) has been mired in controversy"

Has been?

It still doesn't receive individual specific subpoenas, it's still relying on Gonzales assessment that it is legal as long as he tells them it's legal. Auditing queries under a blanket subpoena in a government office is not legal.

They're in the exact same position ATnT is with it's NSA controlled Narus room in SF.

Gonzales can't save himself, let alone them. The execs should look to the online gambling company executives if they want to see their futures.

... the fine is barely a slap on the wrist. It's what, barely one one thousandth of one percent of an hours profit for the company? Big effing deal.

Basically, an American multinational yet again flagrantly ignores the laws of the country in which they operate, and get away with it. Same old, same old.

I made a SWIFT transfer a few days ago - there was no warning about transfer of data to the US and no waver to sign.

AndyD

Is it just me or does anyone else feel miffed that an appointed European Commission can agree to hand over PNR data despite the objections of the elected European parliament?

If it is so important that it is done for 'national security', why doesn't the EU insist on a reciprocal agreement?

For good measure why don't we create our own 'do not fly' list also?

Maybe that's because we don't really believe it's effective security as opposed to security theatre (like the liquids ban).

What people dont know is the US has been using SWIFT since 1983 to track drug dealers

'European data protection is that personal information is only shared with countries with equally stringent protections'

So no issue with outsourcing everything to India then where fraud is rampant?