[Infowarrior] - Germany: collect ISP data for terrorist, not music investigations

[Richard Forno]

Zypries: Retained data cannot be used in civil cases

http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/101210

Retained telephone and Internet data may be used only by the police and the
public prosecutor's office, says German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries.
"Connection information can assist in the prosecution of terrorists and
organized criminals but cannot be used to help the music industry pursue its
rights under civil law," said the SPD party politician in an interview with
Focus, the German news magazine. "Any government that tries to broaden its
scope will lose all credibility."

The new law on data retention requires telecommunication companies to store
all telephone and Internet connection information for six months starting on
1 January, and to make this data available to the prosecutor's office upon
request. The music industry, backed by a number of political figures, had
demanded access to this data to help pursue its claims for compensation
against pirates. Zypries rejected their demands. "The demarcation lines here
are quite clear," she told Focus.

For further information on the monitoring of telecommunications and the
retention of data, see:

    * Neue Regeln zur Überwachung der Telekommunikation, German article

For up-to-date information about the debate on the extended anti-terror
legislation, the "Anti-Terror-Datei" database and online searching, see:

    * Von Datenschutz und Schäuble-Katalog: Terrorbekämpfung,
TK-Überwachung, Online-Durchsuchung, German article