Armin Wolf takes action against X: Focus on suspected favoritism!

Armin Wolf takes action against X: Focus on suspected favoritism!

Armin Wolf, a prominent Austrian journalist, and his colleague, Windhager, recently took action to inform prosecutors about possible legal violations by a major Internet company. According to a report by Small newspaper The platform in question ignored the Vienna Criminal Court's request for the release of user data. This ignorance raises questions about compliance with Austrian and European laws, which Wolf sharply criticized in his latest blog entry.

Wolf and Windhager now aim to submit a statement of the facts to the public prosecutor. Your concern is to have company employees prosecuted on suspicion of favoritism. Specifically, it is suspected that unknown employees of the platform are protecting a person who is said to have committed a crime. Given this situation, journalists believe they have a responsibility to take measures to ensure the rule of law and safeguard public safety.

Cross-border challenges

In a broader context, the Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection, Dr. Stefanie Hubig, about the challenges of cross-border law enforcement. The new draft law, which is currently being drafted, is intended to strengthen cooperation in law enforcement. Loud BMJ The European Union's e-evidence package includes a regulation and a supplementary directive. The aim of these initiatives is to offer investigators new tools to secure digital evidence quickly and legally, across national borders.

A central element of the draft law is the introduction of the European Production Order, which enables investigative authorities to request digital evidence directly from providers in other EU member states. In addition, the European Preservation Order was created, which allows data to be stored until a release order has been issued. These measures are intended to improve the legal framework without violating the high standard requirements for data protection and the rule of law.

Reactions and outlook

Wolf emphasizes that it is unacceptable for internet companies like X, mentioned in the report, to fail to comply with legal requirements. Meanwhile, providers of internet services will in future have to appoint a permanent contact person in the EU to facilitate communication.

The deadlines for production orders are also clearly defined: As a rule, these must be complied with within ten days and, in emergencies, within eight hours. How things will develop remains to be seen, but the expected statements from various associations and interest groups could shed further light on the practical implications of these new regulations.