Anti-spying resolution at UN

As a draft resolution against excessive spying and right to privacy is being mooted at the United Nations, Washington will face a credibility test as it will soon have to voice its stand on the proposed resolution and it will go a long way in addressing the discord and resetting the terms of engagement with other states in the bizarre world of data collection and monitoring, a UAE daily paper commented on Sunday. ''Brazil and Germany are at the vanguard of the attempt directed against the United States' illegal collection of data and electronic surveillance of world leaders. In order to make sure a smooth sailing for the resolution at the world body, the draft has been kept free of names of individual countries. It is little known as to what response the bid will have in an age of freedom of expression and to what extent countries will offer to curb their own cobweb of intelligence gathering, Khaleej Times wrote in its today's editorial. ''It goes without saying that all countries indulge in snooping on allies and adversaries, but most don't go overboard and keep an element of decency. But Edward Snowden, the fugitive whistleblower of the US National Security Agency, has perhaps compelled the world community to rethink on the policy of spying and breaching privacy in this fast world of digital information,'' the Dubai-based paper said. ''The European Union is demanding a new set of rules and regulations on extraterritorial surveillance of communications, their interception and collection of personal data. Though the move at the UN is still in its primitive stage, it is too early to make a guess as to what impact the resolution will be able to make on state-centric affairs, as UN General Assembly recommendations are non-binding in nature,'' it remarked. ''The debate on spying and ethics, however, got a shot in the arm as Snowden has hinted at testifying before the US Congress, if he is provided with an opportunity. The whistleblower believes that his leaks have greatly influenced the thinking of common masses and drawn a thin line between state secrecy and rights of citizens. ''Washington, which has promised to review its spying agenda and mandate, will face a credibility test as it will soon have to voice its stand on the proposed resolution. It will go a long way in addressing the discord and resetting the terms of engagement with other states in the bizarre world of data collection and monitoring,'' Khaleej Times concluded.