Criticism of the new law: Messenger monitoring threatens data protection!

Criticism of the new law: Messenger monitoring threatens data protection!

On May 30, 2025, the criticism of a new law on monitoring messenger data by security authorities in Austria will be louder. The draft stipulates that surveillance should be limited to cases with terrorist and constitutional activities, but can also be used for espionage applications. As reports Kleine Zeitung, the authorization to monitor services such as WhatsApp and Skype for a period of three months is possible. Affected people must be informed about surveillance after the end of the measures. However, the design remains unclear which software actually uses; This was not specified for confidentiality reasons.

The reactions to the design are split. Data protectionists and institutions such as Amnesty International express massive concerns about the transparency and control of these monitoring measures. Critics warn of a possible loss of trust in IT security, since security authorities have to rely on contractual assurances of the providers. According to [the press] (https://www.diepresse.com/19563760/kritik-an-messenger-ueberwachung-geraete-muessen-Muessen-Unschen-Unschen-unschen-unschen-unschen-unschen-unschen-unschen-unschen-unschen-unschen-unkind, the feed-in of monitoring software could only be made through exploited security gaps, which could also endanger other devices. As a result, this could lead to a fundamental interference in the country's IT security.

criticism of legislation

The criticism is loud from different sides. Epicenter.Works experts demand that the state should better guarantee IT security instead of using safety gaps for surveillance purposes. These concerns are reminiscent of earlier debates on government surveillance measures, whereby the FPÖ even throws the possibility of "reasonless surveillance of unpleasant fellow citizens". The current draft allows content to monitor content via messenger services during the ongoing investigation. However, monitoring is only permitted under certain conditions, among other things, other measures must be proven as "hopeless".

The legal framework for data security is of fundamental importance. A comparison with the telephone surveillance, however, has no approval from the critics. Instead, the extensive implications of such measures are pointed out, those of Epicenter.Works argue that this is more comparable to monitoring an apartment or a surveillance drone.

international perspectives on data protection

The discussion about data protection laws also has an international dimension. The topic is becoming increasingly important, as das-wissen.de. The EU has issued strict regulations with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), while in other countries, such as the USA, the regulations are fragmentary and often less stringent. The lower level of state control and stronger focus on economic interests show the differences in approaches in international comparison.

The challenges in the harmonization of data protection regulations are diverse. Cultural differences, different legal traditions and economic interests hinder the creation of uniform standards. Nevertheless, there is a remarkable trend towards stronger data protection laws worldwide, especially in view of the progressive technological developments.

The assessment period of the draft law on messenger monitoring will end next Tuesday, and this will cause further discussions in the next few days. Whether the law will be passed before the summer remains uncertain, while the NEOS is already skeptical about the template.