Melissa Eddy
Right to Privacy Extends to Foreign Internet Users, German Court Rules
Privacy rights enshrined in Germany’s Constitution extend to foreigners living abroad and cover their online data, the country’s highest court ruled, ordering Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to overhaul a law governing the foreign intelligence agency. The decision by the Constitutional Court found that parts of a 2016 law governing the country’s foreign intelligence agency, known by its German abbreviation BND, in part violated the universal right to privacy in communication.
Facebook and Twitter Could Face Fines in Germany Over Hate Speech Posts
Social media companies including Facebook and Twitter are not doing enough to curb hate speech on their platforms and could face fines of up to $53 million if they do not strengthen their efforts to delete illegal posts, a German government minister said on March 14. The move by the country’s authorities comes as technology companies face increasing scrutiny worldwide over how they police online material including hate speech, possible terrorist propaganda and so-called fake news. The debate has been particularly acute in Germany, which has become a case study for combating such material because of its stringent laws on what can and cannot be published.
For tech companies and free speech campaigners, this global regulatory push could limit how individuals communicate online by restricting people’s digital activities and allowing governments to expand their control over vast parts of the internet.Yet for a growing number of policy makers in Europe, the United States and elsewhere, social media companies have a responsibility to block harmful content from their digital platforms, and they must respect national rules that often run counter to Silicon Valley’s efforts to operate across borders.
Amazon Accused by Booksellers of Antitrust Violation in Germany
German book publishers have formally accused Amazon of violating the country’s competition laws and have asked the antitrust authorities to investigate.
The formal complaint comes nearly two months after Amazon stopped shipping books from a leading German publisher, the Bonnier Media Group, amid a dispute over dividing revenue from e-book sales.
The German Publishers and Booksellers Association said it had submitted its complaint to the Bundeskartellamt, the federal antitrust authority, laying out what it viewed as Amazon’s abuse of its market-dominant position in Germany and urging the officials to take action against the Seattle-based company.