German High Court Limits Phone and E-Mail Data Storage


3 March 2010
, (Der Spiegel)


Germany's highest court has rejected a controversial law requiring data on telephone calls and e-mail traffic to be stored for six months for possible use by law enforcement. Data stored so far must be deleted immediately, and strict controls must be put in place before the law can come into force again.

Germany's highest court on Tuesday overturned a law allowing authorities to retain data on telephone calls and e-mail traffic to help fight terrorism and crime. The Federal Constitution Court ruled that major changes needed to be made to a 2008 law ordering data on calls made from mobile or fixed-line telephones and e-mail traffic to be kept for six months for possible access by law enforcement agencies.

The judges said the data storage was not secure enough and that it was not sufficiently clear what it would be used for. A record number of almost 35,000 people, including current Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, had originally brought the case to the court. The law stems from a European Union directive. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,542398,00.html

The court said all data stored to date must be deleted immediately. It said the law went far beyond the requirements of the EU directive. The storage of data could "cause a diffusely threatening feeling of being under observation that can diminish an unprejudiced perception of one's basic rights in many areas," said the president of the court, Hans-Jürgen Papier.

Tighter Controls

The ruling hasn't scrapped the law altogether, but has effectively suspended it until massive amendments limiting its scope have been implemented. Many plaintiffs had hoped the court would rule that storing data per se was unconstitutional and would scrap the law altogether.

The court demanded that stricter conditions be attached to the use and storage of the data, saying it needed to be encoded and that there should be "transparent control" of what the information was used for.

The government's commissioner for data protection and freedom of information needed to be included in the process of controlling the use of the data, it said. The information could only be used in secret "if that is necessary in individual cases and ordered by a judge," Papier said.

The ruling follows a warning by the government that private sector Internet companies such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft need to be more transparent about the personal data they store on Web users.


German High Court Limits Phone and E-Mail Data Storage 3 March 2010 (Der Spiegel) http://www.spiegel.de

Views: 63

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

Doc Vega posted blog posts
2 hours ago
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Disturbing Aspect of the Patterson Gimlin Film
"Thanks for your support Les Prone!"
2 hours ago
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post What Would Have Happened to the US Had Harris Been Elected?
"Les Prone-no shit Dude absolutely frightening! "
2 hours ago
Burbia commented on Burbia's video
Thumbnail

InfoWars reporter Jamie White ‘brutally murdered’ near Austin residential area, outlet says

"Yeah, when his company was being auctioned off, why wasn't the starting bid 100 million?"
4 hours ago
tjdavis's blog post was featured
6 hours ago
Doc Vega's 5 blog posts were featured
6 hours ago
cheeki kea's blog post was featured
6 hours ago
Less Prone commented on Doc Vega's blog post What Would Have Happened to the US Had Harris Been Elected?
"It's too terrible to even contemplate. Kamala the president of the USA."
6 hours ago
GeneralCarlosQ17's blog post was featured

Reuters was paid millions of dollars by the US government for “large scale social deception”

Reuters was paid millions of dollars by the US government for “large scale social deception”. That…See More
6 hours ago
Burbia's blog post was featured
6 hours ago
Less Prone commented on tjdavis's blog post The Strobe Method
"Sound like another CIA project."
6 hours ago
Less Prone favorited rlionhearted_3's photo
6 hours ago
Less Prone commented on rlionhearted_3's photo
Thumbnail

On the beach in Ireland!!!

"It kind of makes sense, on the beach. Maximizing the sun tan surface area. But is it worth it?"
6 hours ago
Less Prone favorited Doc Vega's blog post Disturbing Aspect of the Patterson Gimlin Film
6 hours ago
cheeki kea commented on tjdavis's video
Thumbnail

Route 91: Uncovering the Cover Up

"Video not always showing on you tube according to comment section. I can't see it anyways but…"
22 hours ago
tjdavis posted a blog post
yesterday
Doc Vega favorited Burbia's video
yesterday
Doc Vega commented on Burbia's video
Thumbnail

InfoWars reporter Jamie White ‘brutally murdered’ near Austin residential area, outlet says

"Gosh do you think the Deep State was sending Alex a message? These bastards!"
yesterday
Doc Vega commented on tjdavis's video
Thumbnail

Route 91: Uncovering the Cover Up

"The lying bastards never covered one aspect of the shooter who was in bad health and couldn't…"
yesterday
Doc Vega favorited tjdavis's video
yesterday

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted