It's not about privacy, it's about police impunity

The Spanish Data Protection Agency has opened proceedings against Directa and proposes a fine of 7,000 euros for having published information about police officers who infiltrated social movements. They did so without a judicial order, ex officio and prospectively, one might say, and that changes everything, as in the tug-of-war between the right to information and the right to privacy, the former must prevail. European, and also Spanish, legislation determines that public servants, to ensure their accountability, have their privacy subordinated to the public interest of the news that affects them. And the public interest that a case like this arouses is evident.

One must ask why the Agency is acting so brazenly and, taking advantage of its sanctioning power, is establishing itself as a censoring body against this basic democratic principle of protecting press freedom, no matter who it affects. Other media outlets have received similar information requests to those of Directa, so it is to be expected that they will soon be sent requests to censor their writings. I suppose TV3 will also be asked to remove the 30 minuts dedicated to the topic from 3Cat (and which will be worth saving somehow to the hard drive). The agency demonstrates not only an autocratic attitude, contrary to jurisprudence, but also exhibits a profound contempt – and ignorance – of the role of the press. Everything suggests that if the matter goes to administrative litigation, it will be won. But censorship will have exacted its toll, paid in wear and tear, effort, defense costs, and the fear associated with it all. If Sánchez wanted to position himself as a regenerator of democracy, here is one of the places where he can start his work, by removing the crusts that use administrative violence to condition a fundamental right such as being informed of possible police abuses.