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German Data Retention Law Ruled Unconstitutional

mseeger writes "The German Federal Constitutional Court has ruled the country's current data retention law unconstitutional. All stored telephone and email communication data, previously kept for six months in case it was needed by law enforcement, now must be deleted as soon as possible. The court criticized the lack of data security and insufficient restrictions for access to the data. The president of the court said continuing to retain the data would 'cause a diffusely threatening feeling of being under observation that can diminish an unprejudiced perception of one's basic rights in many areas.' While it doesn't disallow data retention in general, the imposed restriction demands a complete reworking of the law." An anonymous reader contributes the Court's press release and more information on the ruling, both in German.

6 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. oops by elrous0 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Posted this in the wrong place. But, yeah, good for you Germany!

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  2. Re:Pyrrhic victory? by Aqualung812 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It would be better to enact your proposed restrictions when a politician was accused of not handling in the voter's best interest by any citizen three times.

    Sounds great! We'll need to ask all of the citizens if their interests have been taken care of well or not. Since what I consider taking care of me might be the opposite of what taken care of is for you, we'll need to go by majority. Also, since we can't spend the time and money to ask every day, how about ever 2-4 years we get together and vote on how well our politicians are doing? I wish there was a political system that did that!

    --
    Grammer Nazis - I mod you "troll" unless you actually add something on-topic. Yes, I know I have mispellings in my sig.
  3. Re:All hail the Chaos Computer Club by Ihlosi · · Score: 2, Funny
    So the real problem is: Who is deciding who is an expert and who not?

    Just recursify the problem: Ask an expert.

  4. Re:Pyrrhic victory? by am+2k · · Score: 2, Funny

    Your idea sounds nice in theory, but I've heard that it has been tried and didn't work out that well (as described in the article these postings are attached to for instance).

  5. Re:The Free World or the Corporate World by RichardJenkins · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe a few years of a fascist government supporting global total war and orchestrated genocide would give the US people a renewed taste for personal liberties.

  6. Re:Pyrrhic victory? by Ihlosi · · Score: 2, Funny
    Been saying for a long time that the Verfassungsschutz should at least monitor certain politicians that keep proposing unconstitutional laws.

    They tried, but the wheelchair outran them.