Posted on 04/09/2014 5:26:53 PM PDT by Olog-hai
In an interview, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière, 60, warns that American spying has become “boundless” and expresses sorrow that approval ratings for the United States have plummeted in Germany. […]
“I am thinking of the foreign policy damage. Because the greater damage has actually been inflicted by the Americans and not the Germans. And I say this as a staunch trans-Atlanticist. Approval ratings for Americans in German polls are lower right now than they have been in a long time. The last time this was the case was during a certain phase of the policies of George W. Bush. It saddens me. Even if Obama’s initial popularity may have been exaggerated, the US cannot be apathetic to the fact that approval ratings have shifted to such a degree within just one year. America should have an interest in improving them. Words alone will not suffice.” […]
“The Internet, and this is one of its true strengths, depends on freedom. But the explosive propagation of communication has led to problems of order and choice—a situation that has been exacerbated by the market power of corporations. Because if a net provider and a content provider join forces, then they can steer the Internet and determine its content. So I don’t even need to be talking about state censorship here.”
Spiegel: “You believe that private companies represent a greater threat than state institutions?”
“Yes. I find a country’s unrestrained collection of information, even for the sake of exaggerated security need, to be less objectionable than the capture of all movement profiles, thoughts and emotions by people for the sake of business interests.” …
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
Don’t feel special Thomas.
If we built a fence down by the Rio Grande we might have at least one boundary.
Well Tommy. That’s what you get when an entire nation is hit with the “white guilt” syndrome. It was like everyone in the country came down with Ebola at the same time. You think it’s tough in Germany, you should be here in our new police state being run by a fascist dictator with a phone and an ink pen.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière isn’t too up on how the internet operates. If a net provider (I assume he means an ISP) and a content provider were to hook up, the only people they might ensnare would be those who used the same ISP, and even then, some would leave for greener pastures and others would simply tunnel through using a proxy or VPN to get to the rest of the internet. You control the internet if you control the root of the DNS system; otherwise, you do not.
From the article: “I find a country’s unrestrained collection of information, even for the sake of exaggerated security need, to be less objectionable than the capture of all movement profiles, thoughts and emotions by people for the sake of business interests.”
Well, you see, private businesses don’t use justifications of state security to frog-march citizens off to the concentration camps and gulags. I personally find the STASI infinitely more objectionable than email spam encouraging me to buy pharmaceuticals.
Corporate data collection is an annoyance, and only a potential threat if it falls into the hands of unscrupulous actors (such as governments). Government data collection on the other hand is an essential prerequisite to unjust use of force or coercion against the citizenry.
In an ideal world I wouldn’t have to explain to a German what harm the state security apparatus can do, and why it is essential to vigilantly stand against the expansion of a police state. But apparently the bloodiest war in human history coupled with large-scale atrocities, as well as decades of subjugation suffered by Eastern Germany, are not enough illustrate to the average German that a police state might be a dangerous thing to have around.
People who refuse to enforce boundaries tend not to respect them, either.
You know, , when Germans warn you that are being too intrusive into people’s lives, you really need to check yourself.
No Nuke Nutzies there are worried about their benzine buyda liter. When they do have shale they could be drilling their own.
well, when it comes to the internet, the USA should operate ‘without boundries.’ I can’t tell if the author has a beef with American spying, or with private business datamining, or with availability of internet content itself, but I have a feeling it’s the beginning of a push for internet censorship.
Spare me the “I have always loved America” BS. If this clown cared about German attitudes towards America, he would invesigate the leftist take over of German Universities and the leftist media.
” German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière, 60, warns that American spying has become “boundless” “
Like we don’t already know.
Something about timbers and motes comes to mind...
That’s gotta hurt, when Germans start complaining about not respecting borders.
Back in the day Obama was a rock star in Germany.
Ach du lieber! What’s next, will they call B. Hussein “a cowboy”?!?!
Especially with stuff like the European Union and Schengen Agreement to their credit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.