FAQ

• Why worry about privacy
• What´s a BBA all about?
• Why the mane Big Brother Awards? Any relation with the TV program?
• How were the BBA born, and who organize them
• Who are the BBA Spain organizers?
• What prizes are given in this BBA?
• Is this the first BBA Spain?
• Who chooses the nominees and winners?

Why worry about privacy

One of the collateral effects in the Information is the violation of people´s privacy in an unprecedented scale. Many companies collect, store, match and process large amounts of personal data, either for their direct profit or to sell them to third parties; the consequences (spam, aggresive publicity, purchase-and-sell of personal data) are quite known. The situation does not improve in the public sector. Governments spend huge amounts of money to watch their citizens´ behavior by means of large-scale interception of communications by law enforcement or intelligence agencies, and not always in a legal way. Proven cases of arbitrary violations of our privacy rights proves clearly that Juvenal´s saying "who will watch the watchers" stands two thousands yeas later. Paradoxically, the taks seems to be laid on the watched themselves.

What´s a BBA all about?

With the goal of raising social awareness on privacy threats, BBA (Big Brother Awards) were created. BBAs are annually awarded in several countries to people, businesses and government bodies with a remarkable record in the violation of our privacy. A "positive" award" is also given to individuals or organizations working in favor of privacy protection. The BBA award ceremony is organized Oscar-style, after a process of nomination and selection by a jury.

Why the mane Big Brother Awards? Any relation with the TV program?

BBA awards take their names from the "1984" novel, where George Orwell imagined a future workd controlled by a everwatching Big Brother. In spite of the name having recently been distorted by a TV contest program (where participants are watched day and night), the expression "Big Brother" is increasingly being used to describe indiscriminate surveillance, electronic espionaje, videosurveillance, and, in a broad sense, all that can threaten on a large-scale basis the people´s right to privacy.

How were the BBA born, and who organize them

The BBA idea was first born in 1998 in the United Kingdom, but the concept has spread to overa dozen countries, and to the USA. Other countries, like Japan and South Africa, will hold BBA ceremonies shortly, which will give it a truly international character. In each country, BBA awards are organized by a local association.

Who are the BBA Spain organizers?

The BBA Spain (it´s a tradition to keep the name and country in english) awards are held in Spain for the first time this year 2002. The organizing entity is CPSR-Spain, the spanish chapter of CPSR . CPSR was born in the 80s as a response from the US computer professional community agains president Reagan´s "star wars" defense program. Since then, CPSR has diversified its effors, joining in the fight for privacy rights in an increasingly "big-brotherized" world. CPSR-Spain is the first CPSR chapter in the Old Continent.

What prizes are given in this BBA?

The BBA Spain 2004 awards fit in the following categories:

• BBA private sector
• BBA public sector
• BBA intrusive technologies sector
• BBA people´s choice
• Anti-BBA in defense of privacy

How many Big Brother Awards has celebrated on Spain

This is the third edition of the BBA awards. On this page you will find the archive of the past awards.

Who chooses the nominees and winners?

Nominations are chosen by a jury made up of journalists, lawyers and cyber-rights defenders, with the exception of the "BBA People´s Choice", which as its name implies is chosen by direct vote among all people. Anybody can vote for his/her favorite "people´s choice", as well as propose nominees for the other awards.