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German Federal Government Approves Eavesdropping

Posted by timothy on from the hoer-zu dept.

Raymond Gannon writes: "Without further commotion, the Federal Cabinet approved the controversial telecommunication monitoring regulation in its session in Berlin today. The proceedings catalogue for eavesdropping on surfers and (cell) telephone users become legal."

6 comments

  1. Another fine post by Captain+Pedantic · · Score: 0

    First fist post prost, but it won't count as this is only the shitty yro section.

    Shit. That damn 2 minute wait, but that can't stop.... Captain Pedantic

    --

    None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
  2. But seriously folks... by Captain+Pedantic · · Score: 0
    What is this all about then
    Under the terms of the Telecommunication Monitoring Regulation, Internet service providers do not have to especially monitor backbones or surfers who dial in to the Internet using a modem or ISDN. Providers of Leased lines and other broad band connections, such as DSL and cable are obliged to install expensive interceptive boxes which may cost several million marks.
    Does this mean that if I want to remain hidden I just have to dial up? Isn't that just the tiniest of loop holes?
    --

    None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
    1. Re:But seriously folks... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Probably the telco upstream of the dial-up ISP would have to install the monitoring equipment though.

    2. Re:But seriously folks... by Liquor · · Score: 1
      Does this mean that if I want to remain hidden I just have to dial up? Isn't that just the tiniest of loop holes?
      No, it means that they already have the right to put monitoring equipment on a subscribers dial-up phone line, so they don't need a new power.
      --

      Liquor
      Sanity is a highly overrated commodity.
  3. Get over it? But the cost, the cost..... by Liquor · · Score: 1
    "You have no privacy. Get over it." -- Scott McNealy
    I already presume that everything I send over the internet is monitored somewhere - as should we all. The difference here is really that anyone monitoring the internet now has to pay for and provide their own equipment.

    The nasty part of this non-legislation (it's not passed by the German Federal Assembly) is that it puts the cost of the monitoring equipment onto the ISPs and providers - can you imagine trying to modify your backbone equipment so that all packets to or from a single IP address are copied to a log?

    And they have the stated intention of "the surveillance of the complete Internet" - I simply cannot imagine the cost to an ISP of even starting to attempt to record the contents of every single packet that passes through their routers.
    --

    Liquor
    Sanity is a highly overrated commodity.
  4. for the free world... by hokanomono · · Score: 1

    No doubt, the terrorists will succeed in destroying our society, but i'm not the first who said so.

    --
    This sig is a true statement, but I cannot prove it.