Germany's Gestapo - Ooops, I mean the 'Interior Ministry' - Wants Access To Citizens' Digital Assistants Such as Google Home and Amazon Echo

[quote]A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry broached the subject in a news conference, saying: "To fight crime effectively, it's very important that federal and state authorities should have access to data collected by these devices."

That set off alarm bells for those monitoring digital privacy rights.

"They are fully aware this is unconstitutional what they are planning to do. I expect data protection agencies will interfere," said Jeanette Hofmann, Professor of Internet Politics at Freie University in Berlin and an expert member of the German Parliament's inquiry into Internet and the Digital Society.

"The home is still considered a holy place as compared to what happens in public. The possibility that everything you do at home will be tracked and the data given to law enforcement, just because of court order, is pretty scary." [/quote]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/09/europe/germany-privacy-fears-ger-intl/index.html

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SW-User

It's a little different than the Gestapo - unless there is arbitrary discrimination in who they choose to follow and profile. Lets take me, I'm of the benefit of white male, with almost all benefits that entails, if I express something online that authorities would be right to take action or concern and don't, they are what absent? It's a new world - and I do hold privacy very high, but it's not entirely boundless with a new way to listen 'they' do.

Now if they only listen to what they profile, make that profile young Arabs - then there is a problem - called racial profiling.

beckyromero · 36-40, F

Because they could say, oh we heard something about someone in this apartment building we don't like. We want all the residents' data.

Or they may have only circumstantial evidence against someone. Nothing at a bar high enough to get a conviction. So they go on a treasure hunt, seeing what not only they uncover for that offense, but maybe other things they can charge that person for. Or maybe lead to investigations of friends, family.

Oh, friends and family. Hmmm? 🤔We know what Germany did to arrestees' friends and family in the '30s and '40s.

[quote]I do hold privacy very high[/quote]

Do you?

SW-User

@beckyromero Yes - and outside of here probably take more steps in making that happen in what I use in OS and what not.

I'm pointing out the difference of what amounts to apple and oranges.

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