Future of Messenger: Great concerns about new surveillance laws!
Future of Messenger: Great concerns about new surveillance laws!
St. Pölten, Österreich - The planned messenger monitoring in Austria ensures heated debates. Experts and political decision -makers question the load -bearing capacity of the draft, which is intended to increase the preliminary objectives of digital security and at the same time maintain the privacy of the citizens. Peter Kieseberg, an expert in IT security at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, explains the mechanisms behind the communications technology and emphasizes that monitoring of messengers such as WhatsApp could be possible for security authorities through so-called "back doors", which raises not only technical but also ethical questions. [Noen] reports that the IT industry in Austria is skeptical whether an isolated implementation can be realized, since this step could ultimately result in the ban on services such as signal.
The topic not only attracts attention in the professional world. Political parties are divided: While the SPÖ and ÖVP are for surveillance, the NEOs decide the draft. Beate Meinl-Reisinger from the Neos expresses concerns about constitutional conformity. In addition, Amnesty International and Data Protection NGO Epicenter.Works have already criticized the draft, which may endanger journalistic source protection, as the Association of Austrian newspapers (VöZ) warns.
Criticism of security defects
In a statement, the ISPA, the umbrella organization of the Internet economy, pointed out safety gaps and the basic interventions in the rights of citizens. General Secretary Stefan Ebenberger confirms the goal of high public security, but expresses concerns about the technical requirements for the surveillance software. This would have to be able to monitor news during an approved period - a goal that, according to experts like Kieseberg, is considered unrealistic, since no known software can adhere to these requirements. [OTS] criticizes that the software is likely to be obtained from third countries or private companies and thus harbors a significant security risk.The questions about the control mechanisms of the surveillance software are also of central importance. Security gaps could be exploited, not only by statutory authorities, but also by criminals. The ISPA urges a clear definition of operating conditions and an independent check of the software in order to avoid misuse and monitoring of the surveillance. The same applies to the use of IMSI-Catchers, which also affect uninvolved people beyond the goal and could lead to data collection without a legal basis.
political challenges and legal concerns
The legal foundations for messenger monitoring are problematic. The currently planned draft law stipulates that security authorities can access messenger data, but only in individual cases such as fighting terrorism. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) emphasizes that the police currently have no insight into the communication of terrorists. The draft law stipulates that those affected have to be informed after monitoring, with special reporting obligations apply to over 35 cases per year. [Kleine Zeitung], however, points out that there is ambiguities about the possibility of a constitutional solution, since the Constitutional Court has rejected similar regulations in the past.
The federal government plans to decide on Messenger monitoring by summer. However, experts fear that the deadline will be too short to adequately address all legal and technical challenges. A recently listed voice from the SPÖ, Jörg Leichtfried, supports the design, but also shows understanding of the concerns that exist within his own party.
In the coming months, it will be decisive how the legal regulations are formulated and whether a solution can be found that meets both the requirements for public security and the fundamental rights of the citizens.
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| Ort | St. Pölten, Österreich |
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