German High Court limits internet surveillance

[JDPriestly]

The German High Court has ruled that blanket surveillance of internet data and communications violates the German Constitution.

The reasoning in this decision is important, but I cannot inform you on it in any detail because I have not yet found an on-line publication of the decision from the German Bundesgericht (constitutional court). Here is the BBC report.

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The Constitutional Court has now decided that the practice of cyber spying violates the right to privacy but would be acceptable in exceptional cases, under the auspices of a judge.

Faced with warnings from Germany's privacy commissioner of ever more sweeping surveillance - and protesters' T-shirts bearing the slogan "Stasi 2.0" - the government will have to tread carefully.

The police believe they will need to use spy software in perhaps 10 cases a year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7265212.stm

[Eurobabe]

1. Booya!! I knew they would do the right thing

This morning it was starting to sound like Asshat and FISA-like ways were taking over Germany.