Thursday, February 28, 2008

German Court Limits Online Monitoring of Terrorist Suspects

Germany's Constitutional Court released a ruling severely limiting the government's ability to monitor the systems of suspected terrorists:

"The now invalid law in North Rhine-Westphalia had allowed authorities to access a suspect's hard drive and keep it under regular surveillance -- under the condition that they expected to find evidence of anti-constitutional activity.

"Such a massive intrusion should not be possible on such vague grounds, the Karlsruhe court decided. Rather, the state may secretly spy on someone only if there is strong evidence that personal safety, lives, freedom, state property or the foundation of human existence are endangered. And only with permission from a judge."


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Germany's Highest Court Restricts Internet Surveillance

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