Gives you a warm feeling

Banks put customers in Swift Catch-22 | The Register:

people wanting to make international money transfers using the Belgian-based international banking co-operative Swift (as most do), have been asked to sign a form giving their approval for details of their transaction to be disclosed “to any Government entity, regulatory authority or to any person we reasonably think necessary for these purposes”.

These purposes being “fighting crime and terrorism” and “any applicable laws”. The disclaimer warns: “This may mean that personal information will be transferred outside the EEA to countries, which do not provide the same level of data protection as the UK.”

I particularly like the “any person we reasonably think necessary.” So if someone flashes a phony badge and they turn over their database that’s your problem.

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