Chi Onwurah MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy, responding to the decision by the European Court of Human Rights that employers can read workers’ private messages sent during working hours, said:

“Employers do not need to snoop on people’s private conversations to uncover abuse – that can be done by looking at the destination rather than the content of messages. There needs to be an immediate review into digital rights in the workplace.

“Whilst Ministers continue to dither and ignore the issue, Labour has been clear that people should own their own data. That’s why we have been calling on Government to make it clear what digital rights UK citizens enjoy and we repeat that call again today. It’s becoming increasingly important that Ministers end their silence as UK courts have a duty to take these decisions into consideration.”