Right to privacy – the conflict between individual privacy and public safety under Article 8 of the ECHR

Abstract

This paper discusses the tension between the right to privacy and the need for public security in the context of mass surveillance and data protection under Article 8 of the ECHR. The author analyses the relationship between privacy and public safety in order to determine how the tension between the two is managed. The author also explores the ways in which different challenges, such as new technological advancements, have affected the tension between privacy and security. By analysing the ECHR case law, this paper will attempt to clarify the manner in which the European Court of Human Rights balances both the right to privacy and the need for public security.