Democracy, Freedom and the Internet.

The German District Attorney of Halle has urged the Credit Card Industry to screen all 20-22 million German credit cards for transactions along some criteria - without having an initial suspicion of any criminal behaviour. Any such screening and searching is only legal through a warrant. Now there are two immediate scandals obvious:

1. the District Attorney had no warrant whatsoever, but they threatened the credit card companies that non-compliance would be illegal and punishable


2. the credit card companies' lawyers obviously didn't care to think this would be illegal and complied.

It almost comes as no surprise that the Police Union says that illegal means in investigations are fine to get results.

What it was all about? Child pornography. Which, according to German Law, is about in the same category as Wilful Damage to Property (which would almost be a joke in itself if it wasn't so sad). The screening of the 20 million German credit cards yielded 322 suspects.

Udo Vetter wants to have a court state if the District Attorney's action was legal or not.

I'm wondering what our current government will try next.