Earlier this month the German Bundestag passed a controversial data retention and wiretapping legislation which empowers the state authorities to indiscriminantly collect phone and internet communications of German citizens. The reaction of the opposition parties was rather fierce:
"Spokesman on legal policy for the Greens Jerzy Montag described it a "pitch-black day for civil rights in Germany" upon embroiling in a fierce exchange of words. All arguments put forward by Zypries in defence of the bill "are materially wrong and untrue". For example, even criminal offences sanctioned merely by a pecuniary penalty could trigger access to the powers. The protection of key aspects of the right to privacy in developing one's lifestyle with view to phone conversations "can never be achieved" based on the chosen wording. Therefore, "regarding your statute it is made out that you intend to eavesdrop constantly". The protection of journalists and informants would be "undermined" by the statute."
The situation in the US is much worse. We've known for some time that the Bush administration has authorized illegal, warrantless wiretapping of American citizens. Today we were greated with another depressing headline in the Washington Post. So now - without probable cause - the US government can eavesdrop on conversations and pinpoint locations of American cell phone users.
Dr. Dean takes us back to a time in the not too distant past when Germans and Americans could use thier cell phones and landline telephones with the presumption that the communication was private - the days before Stasi 2.0.
In fact the German Bundestag even conducted a public relations campaign heralding the absolute privacy of all German citizens in their communication.
Translation: Flirt, malign, gossip. And nobody is listening in.
That is so sexist.
Posted by: Hattie | November 27, 2007 at 01:55 PM