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Germany Implements Sweeping Data Retention Policies

Posted by Zonk on from the bad-day-for-leaving-people-alone dept.

G'Quann writes "Starting next year, all communication providers in Germany will have to store all connection data for six months. This includes not only phone calls but also IP addresses and e-mail headers. There had been a lot of protest against the new law, but it was ignored by the government. Quoting: 'The content of the communications is not stored. The bill had been heavily criticized. Privacy [advocates] had organized demonstrations against the bill in all major German cities at the beginning of this week. In October there had already been a large demonstration with thousands of participants in Germany's capital Berlin. All opposition parties voted against the bill. Several members of the opposition and several hundred private protesters announced a constitutional complaint.'"

9 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. Germany is officially off my list by jhfry · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... of countries to escape to when things continue to get worse here in the US!

    Maybe somewhere in the Swiss Alps?

    --
    Sometimes the best solution is to stop wasting time looking for an easy solution.
  2. Re:I almost posted this in the AT&T spying com by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny

    On the Internet, they came first for Zimmerman and PGP, and I didn't speak up because nobody could figure out how to integrate it into an email client anyway;
    And then they came for the warez d00dz, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a pirate;
    And then they came for Napster, and I didn't speak up because I had .torrents;
    And then they came for my traffic, and by that time Request timed out.

  3. All I have to say is ... by ScrewMaster · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey Germany! How does that gaping hole in your left podal extremity feel?

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  4. Re:Hm, I just wondered... by flyingfsck · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or ICMP packets? That will be *really* useful.

    --
    Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
  5. Re:At least they saw it coming by ArcherB · · Score: 3, Funny

    I see you were modded (-1 Truth)

    --
    There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
  6. Re:IP address tracking: means your ISP IP address by jo42 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Time to invest in storage companies, nyet komrade?

  7. Re:At least they saw it coming by eggnoglatte · · Score: 2, Funny
    Well, last time I checked -23 is less than 20, so the GP is right ;-)

    20 (maybe less) years and we are in 1984.

    Im confused, its 2007 isn't it?

  8. Re:Fascism Anyone? by deimtee · · Score: 3, Funny

    Mod parent DoublePlusGood.

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    I'm guessing that wasn't on their radar screen...
  9. Re:At least they saw it coming by maxwell+demon · · Score: 3, Funny
    Well, just add to every email the header

    X-Terrorist: No
    and you should be safe. :-)
    --
    The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.