From: "Maurice Wessling" <mauricet_private> Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 10:51:18 +0000 Subject: File 1--Digital wiretapping in the Netherlands PRESS RELEASE XS4ALL Internet Monday, April 6th 1998 Dutch parliament about to approve tapping paragraph after pressure from Internal Security Agency. A letter from the Internal Security Agency (BVD) to the leaders of the four largest parties in parliament has played a key role in ensuring that in all likelyhood, a majority of dutch parliament will vote to include a controversial paragraph in the new telecommunications law. In an attempt to secure government access to telecommunication between citizens, the new telecommunications law includes a paragraph that, among other things, forces ISPs to make their networks tappable, at their own expense. In the letter, the BVD stresses the need for expansion of its tapping capabilities. The dutch labour party (PvdA), the largest party in The Netherlands, withdrew its objections against the law upon receiving the letter. Internet Service Providers, legal experts, business community representatives, and the dutch government privacy watchdog organization have expressed concern over the extention of tapping capabilities for police and intelligence organizations. The new law places a large financial burden on providers. Furthermore, the necessity to expand the tapping capabilities was not documented or argumented for. XS4ALL, one of the countries largest ISPs has appealed to parliament on several occasions to postpone the tapping paragraph (chapter 13 of the new law) until the minister properly documents the need for such radical changes. Of the large parties, only D'66 will vote for postponing the tapping paragraph Maurice Wessling <mauricet_private> Public Affairs XS4ALL Internet Amsterdam, Netherlands -- pub 1024/D9C69DF9 1997/10/14 Steve Mynott <stevet_private> -o- Subscribe: mail majordomot_private with "subscribe isn". Today's ISN Sponsor: Dimensional Communications (www.dim.com)
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