US EditionPlanned Messenger Surveillance in Austria: Between Security Needs and Fundamental Rights Protection
- The Austrian government proposed a draft in May 2025 to permit special spyware use for serious threats during a three-month period with possible extension.
- This latest attempt comes after four prior failures due to constitutional and legal challenges as well as political opposition, notably including protests led by civic groups and rival political factions.
- The draft aims to allow judge-approved access to encrypted digital communications for terrorism, espionage, and anti-constitutional activities without being a tool for mass surveillance, officials emphasized.
- Critics such as NEOS spokesperson Nikolaus Scherak and Amnesty International have expressed serious concerns about violations of fundamental rights, arguing that it is nearly impossible to deploy this type of software without infringing on human rights.
- The decision faces a political litmus test due to potential diplomatic conflicts and uncertain support, with renegotiations or draft withdrawal remaining possible outcomes.
13 Articles
13 Articles
der Standard AT
der Standard DEBy midnight, private individuals and institutions can make statements on the fifth attempt towards state espionage software
"The police need up-to-date tools to combat terrorists and perils even more effectively." So far, as good as the draft law on monitoring messenger services says. However, the renewed attempt to monitor has come up with sharp criticism in the review. Now the project even threatens to fail due to the resistance of the NEOS. One is not yet convinced of the constitutional conformity of the present draft, the smallest of the three coalition partners …
The smallest of the three coalition partners listens on the last day of the assessment: One is not yet convinced of the constitutional conformity of the draft.
SPÖ spokesman for internal security wants constitutionally compliant threat monitoring that provides security and basic rights protects terrorists and spies are already communicating mainly via encrypted messenger services such as signal, WhatsApp or telegram. Our executive can listen to their phone calls, but unlike many other countries like Germany, they do not access their messenger services. "A maladministration we want to remedy. In the gov…
Whether there will be anything else with the Messenger monitoring is probably due to the NEOS. On Tuesday, the last day of the review period, the smallest coalition partner announced that they were not yet convinced of the constitutional conformity of the draft.
Whether there will be anything else with the Messenger monitoring is probably due to the NEOS. On Tuesday, the last day of the review period, the smallest coalition partner announced that they were not yet convinced of the constitutional conformity of the draft. Addressed today, party leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger was confident that this would still be achieved.
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