Some of the changes that have occurred over the past year in Europe and North America:

Denmark

Police have faster and easier access to records of phone calls, Internet use and e-mails. This information has to be stored for up to a year and intelligence services and the police can freely consult this data without prior permission by a judge.

Germany

Police have access to computer-held telecommunications records, including the content of messages, data about e-mail exchanges, data allowing the authors of such messages to be found and access to phone company records.

Spain

A new law obliges ISPs to keep details of their customers' Internet and e-mail activity for at least a year.

United States

A plan has been put forward so that the FBI no longer needs court approval for listening devices on the phones and computers of anyone suspected of having information about terrorist activity. Such searches would not require evidence against the people or organisations being monitored.