This reminds me (and some Politech members have mentioned it too) of Russia's SORM Internet surveillance system: http://www.politechbot.com/cgi-bin/politech.cgi?name=sorm What the Brits have done: http://www.politechbot.com/p-02422.html And domestically, similar proposals reportedly are already being discussed: http://www.politechbot.com/p-02683.html -Declan ********** Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 00:51:57 +0200 From: Alexander Svensson <alexanderat_private> To: declanat_private Subject: Germany: Net surveillance and more anti-terrorism plans Hi Declan! The German Cabinet has passed an ordinance about telecommunication surveillance (Telekommunikations- überwachungs-Verordnung/TKÜV) based on the German federal telecommunications law, allowing for monitoring of forms of telecommunications other than telephone calls. The industry has to create the conditions allowing for such surveillance. Excluded are operators of telecommunication networks for a restricted group of users (i.e. internal company networks, hotels etc.) and non-profit operators. Internet exchange nodes are also exempt. According to Heise Online/Telepolis, ISPs don't have to install surveillance facilities for Internet users on dial-up or ISDN lines, but for those with DSL, cable or other high-bandwidth connections. Approval by a judge is needed for the surveillance and recording of telecommunication. The ordinance has been debated for years, but after the terrorist attacks, the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce and others gave up their resistance to the measures. Before, they estimated costs in the billions of deutsche mark. In other news, several German civil rights activitists and groups are jointly trying to prevent the passing of an anti-terrorist bill planned by the Ministry of the Interior. There are discussions about ID cards carrying biometrical data and plans for wider use of profiling. Especially the powers which the government wants to give to the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (Bundeskriminalamt/BKA) are under attack -- the line between the police, secret service and the agencies especially charged with the protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutz) is becoming blurred. However, one of the (governing) Social Democrat members of parliament promised on TV that the proposals would be improved until they hardly resemble the first drafts. Some links, unfortunately all in German: Civil rights groups coalition: http://www.saveprivacy.de/ Chaos Computer Club: http://www.ccc.de/CRD/CRD20011022.html Proposed bill: http://www.ccc.de/CRD/schilyterror1.pdf Telepolis: http://www.heise.de/tp/ /// Alexander ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/ To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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