Finland has proposed a new law that would let parents track the movements of their children via cellphone, even without their consent, in a move that could set an EU benchmark in privacy and handset use.
The proposal is part of new law on privacy in electronic communications and could still be changed in parliament hearings, although the Nordic country's coalition government accepted it unanimously this week.
Parliament will discuss the proposal in November, but state officials and politicians said it was too early to estimate when the law could be passed.
"Roughly similar legislation will be a reality in the EU area in the near future," said Juhapekka Ristola, an official at the transport and communications ministry.
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He said other countries may follow the example of Finland He said other countries may follow the example of Finland, home to the world's largest cellphone maker Nokia, because the proposal is based on the EU's directive on privacy and electronic communications.
According to the draft, individuals aged 15 or older could only be tracked after giving their consent, but for children under 15 such consent could also be given by their parents or guardians.
In emergency situations people can still be tracked without their consent regardless of their age.
Service providers TeliaSonera and Elisa currently offer positioning services which locate the phone user based on the base station nearest them, narrowing the location down to 100 metres in built-up areas.
Finland is a world leader in cellphone technology, and last February topped the World Economic Forum's list as the most tech-savvy country in the world. - Reuters
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