UK high court ruling now requires security, intelligence services to obtain prior authorization for communications data

Liberty, a U.K. human rights organization, won a “landmark” court ruling that determined security and intelligence services must obtain “prior independent authorisation” to access individuals’ communication data from telecommunications companies, the Guardian reports. Two U.K. high court judges ruled it was illegal for MI5, MI6 and the Government Communications Headquarters to request personal communication without prior approval by a judge or from the Office for Communications Data Authorisations during criminal investigations. The ruling came as the latest challenge to a portion of the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act.