Civil society: Law on data access endangers confidentiality of internet use (2 May 2013) |
On Friday, the International Press Freedom Day, the Federal Council will decide on the controversial law to report inventory data on Internet users and passwords. Ahead of the vote call nine civil society organizations, the prime ministers of the countries to revise the project fundamentally. A joint statement of the Working Group on Data Retention, of the German Journalists Association (DJV), the New Judges Association (GCC), the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the German journalists and journalists' Union (dju), the Committee for Basic Rights and Democracy, the Evangelical Conference for telephone counseling and Open Door, the Humanist Union and the Organization offices of criminal law organizations published today reads: "The confidentiality and anonymity of the Internet usage is at stake when the state authorities are given far-reaching access to our Internet use and to our most private data. The fear of investigation or any other harm impair the free use of the Internet, which in certain areas can only be done under the cover of anonymity (eg. medical, psychological or legal advice, press informants and whistleblowers, political activism). We urge all Lander
Prime Ministers to stop the law in the Bundesrat
and to revise the law fundamentally in the Conciliation Committee:
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