SPIEGEL ONLINE - 10.08.2012
Google has been forced to pay $22 million in fines this week, a record for data privacy violations but small change for the giant corporation. Internet companies benefit from America's lax privacy and data protection laws, which are unlikely to change any time soon. It's a stark contrast to Europe, where the EU wants to toughen its laws -- and apply them to American companies. By Christian Stöcker more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 07.06.2012
A leading German credit agency plans to mine Facebook and other social networking sites in search of information that could have a bearing on a person's creditworthiness, according to media reports. But several leading politicians have criticized the plan. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 25.04.2012
Germany's Pirate Party has gone from a tiny group of hackers to a significant force in an astoundingly short amount of time. Its growing pains are obvious to all, but the party could succeed in fundamentally changing German politics. First it must agree on what it stands for. By Sven Becker, Dirk Kurbjuweit, Peter Müller, Marcel Rosenbach and Merlind Theile more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 11.04.2012
German engineering giant Siemens and a spinoff company allegedly sold surveillance technology to the Syrian regime, according to a German television report. The government could be using the equipment to crack down on opposition supporters, human rights activists warn. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 20.02.2012
Hundreds of thousands of people have demonstrated across Europe against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, much to the surprise of the continent's politicians. A new protest movement is forming around the issue, amid concerns that users could be severely punished for minor copyright infringements. Meanwhile, Internet experts warn against anti-ACTA hysteria. By Ralf Beste, Hilmar Schmundt and Christian Schwägerl more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 08.12.2011
German companies play an important role in the market for surveillance technology used by Arab despots to spy on their people. In this industry worth billions, the companies also earn their money using methods that have been outlawed in their home country. By Uwe Buse and Marcel Rosenbach more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 04.11.2011
Being defamed online can ruin lives and careers, but fighting back is always hard and often fruitless. Germany's Federal Court of Justice has now ruled that people defamed online can get information deleted, but it still forces Internet companies like Google to serve as unwilling judges and arbitrators. By Dietmar Hipp, Martin U. Müller and Marcel Rosenbach more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 17.10.2011
Details continue to emerge about the potentially unconstitutional use of spyware by German investigators, including indications they used the controversial Trojan horse program on suspects some 50 times. The future of online surveillance is now in question, and court appeals could also follow. By Marcel Rosenbach, Holger Stark and Steffen Winter more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 12.10.2011
A Trojan horse that can provide German investigators with unconstitutional access to targeted computers? SPIEGEL ONLINE spoke with Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger about the allegations and whether the scandal could drive another wedge into Chancellor Merkel's governing coalition. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE - 10.10.2011
A German hacker organization claims to have cracked spying software allegedly used by German authorities. The Trojan horse has functions which go way beyond those allowed by German law. The news has sparked a wave of outrage among politicians and media commentators. more... [ Forum ]
