Messenger monitoring on the test: ÖVP demands stricter controls!

Messenger monitoring on the test: ÖVP demands stricter controls!

In the current debate about messenger monitoring in Austria, there is a profound political conflict between the government parties and the opposition. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has clearly spoken out for the application of messenger monitoring in criminal law. In the puls24 show "Both sides live" he emphasized that the responsibility for this lying at the Ministry of Justice and described the measure as "meaningful". Vienna.at

The demands for reinforcing the powers are not new. For example, Elena Haslinger, the chairwoman of the public prosecutor's association, calls for equal rights for the public prosecutor as for state security. The head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Andreas Holzer, also advocates appropriate powers for the criminal police and criticizes that measures have so far only been taken in terrorism. Karner supports these demands for tightening in this area, pointing out that a change in the Code of Criminal Procedure would be necessary to implement.

political reactions to legislation

However, the reactions to the draft law on messenger monitoring are different. While Karner and the ÖVP drive the measures forward, the Neos club chairman Yannick Shetty decides to extend the danger monitoring to other offenses. He gives the Interior Minister a "clear stop sign". In addition, the Greens support the rejection of the messenger monitoring and see their position encouraged. Digitization spokesman Süleyman Zorba describes the decision of the Bundestrojan as a "dam broken" and warns of possible risks.

The draft law itself was presented by the Federal Government on April 8 and is currently in the assessment procedure that lasts eight weeks. The measure aims to monitor "endangers" by special software on mobile devices and in communication via encrypted services such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and Threema. Critics vehemently warn of interference with fundamental rights and potential abuse against oppositional, journalists and whistleblower. Class = "Source_2"> Inside politics

Details on surveillance technology

The security authorities have been calling for more access to these communication channels for years, with the previous options for monitoring to be limited to special software solutions, so-called Trojans. A planned national Trojan was declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court in 2019. In order to regulate possible attacks, an agreement has now been made that allows messenger monitoring under certain conditions. This includes that the crime must be punished in prison with a minimum volume of ten years and the surveillance is limited to a maximum of 30 cases per year. A permit must also be made by a three-judge senate.

The legal framework stipulates that the legal protection officer has three months to check the software used. This software is likely to be programmed exclusively for monitoring measurement services. Data protectionists express concerns about possible security gaps that could result from these measures. It is also critically illuminated that the legal foundations for news surveillance and telephone monitoring differ. The press