Germany Going to Court over Telecommunications Storage Requirement
Germany rejects the European Commission directive requiring phone and internet companies to store records.
According to a report by Reuters, the EU executive is planning to refer Germany to the European Union’s highest court over failure to introduce a law requiring phone and Internet companies to store records for at least six months.
The case follows a European Commission directive from 2006, which was aimed at helping authorities track down suspected perpetrators of “serious crime.” This directive ordered the 27 EU member states to introduce laws requiring telecommunications companies to store records of emails and phone calls, including those made via the Internet.
According to the Reuters article, the German government tried to introduce such a law, but the country’s top court rejected it in March 2010, saying that it led to a “particularly deep intrusion into telecommunications privacy.” The German Minister for Justice, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, has said she wants law enforcement authorities to produce more concrete evidence of wrongdoing before they can access people’s data.
You can read the Reuters article here.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Is Linus Torvalds Vibe Coding?
The creator of Linux has added AI into his process for Linux kernel development, and it's more than just for debugging.
-
openKylin 3.0 Released with Expanded AI Integration
The latest release features a pre-installed AI agent to help perform tasks.
-
DigitalOcean Ends Open Source Credits Program
In a change that has surprised many open source developers, DigitalOcean has decided to sunset its Open Source Credits Program.
-
Office 365 Available for Testing on Linux via Bottles
Linux users can now test the official Office 365, thanks to Mirko Brombin's work on Bottles.
-
Dutch Government Turns to Open Source for Digital Sovereignty
Following in the footsteps of other European countries, the Netherlands is looking to increase its sovereign digital infrastructure with open source software.
-
Linux May Soon Work on Snapdragon X2-Based PCs
If you're thinking about buying a Snapdragon X2-based desktop or laptop, Linux may soon be an option.
-
KDE for People Initiative Calls for AI Ban in Plasma
A new community of KDE wants the project to adopt a strict no-AI policy for KDE Plasma.
-
KDE Sets Ambitious Goals for 2026 and Beyond
KDE Connect reveals the goals for the Linux desktop darling, with one of those goals long overdue.
-
It’s Time to Test Fedora 45 Beta
Fedora 45 beta has been released with updated Gnome, KDE Plasma, and kernel.
-
Ubuntu Stonking Stingray Gets Even Rustier
Ubuntu 26.10 has completed its migration to the Rust-based coreutils.