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Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

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Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#51

Post by inigyou »

varispeed wrote: post #39
Aeolun wrote: post #37

Wait? They previously allowed everybody and their mother to request the information? Limiting it to ‘citizens of the european union’ seems eminently reasonable.

Won't this require citizen to provide ID and therefore citizens asking difficult questions could become a target for retaliation?

It's already the case that if you question Israel's right to exist you are considered an antisemitic terrorist and arrested - they are now trying to codify this into an actual law (not just something the police do).

There is no freedom in Germany. The mistakes of the past did not change anyone's mindset about human rights and freedom. They only learned how to put on a facade of caring about them. And they are the most powerful member of the European Union.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#52

Post by dyauspitr »

eigenspace wrote: post #31
greenavocado wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Poland, but its on borrowed time due to the extreme fertility crisis.

Lol, what on earth makes you single out Poland as the single western country not in decay right now?

It doesn’t have immigrants so the right wing tries extra hard to paint it as rosy.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#53

Post by inigyou »

flohofwoe wrote: post #33
sajithdilshan wrote: post #22

I don't think this would pass at all, the German parliament is now in summer break and once they're back there would be 3 federal state elections and depending on its outcome, the current government could collapse before the end of this year.

Lol, do you seriously think the 'alternative' would be any more progressive when it comes to freedom of information (or government transparency in general) once they'd be in power?

I guess the Left or the Greens or the useless SPD could theoretically win the elections.

It won't happen though. It'll be AfD.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#54

Post by myrmidon »

Aeolun wrote: post #37

Wait? They previously allowed everybody and their mother to request the information? Limiting it to ‘citizens of the european union’ seems eminently reasonable.

Not really.

The main "purpose" for such information is to be published, and at that point it makes no difference who exactly requested it.

Personal view:

The current mainly governing party in Germany (CDU/CSU) is a bunch of incompetent, nepotistic gerontocrats, and this change is mainly intended to make it harder for independent press to air their dirty laundry.

Just for reference: Approval rating for Merz (chancellor) is under 20% (!!); even Trump is >35%.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#55

Post by inigyou »

rjmunro wrote: post #42
episodeiv wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just foreign nationals that would be barred from issuing requests but non-profit organizations as well. Also, the cap on fees would be eliminated, further increasing the barriers for people wanting to issue requests.

Is there any material difference between a non-profit asking and people who work for the non-profit asking? Is the maker of the request made public or something? It sounds like the organizations thing might just be to stop foreign nationals using that as a workaround.

Forcing you to publicly attach your name to something is often a form of intimidation.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#56

Post by petcat »

flossly wrote: post #30
denvrede wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd generally agree, but my follow up question would be: which western country isn't?

Denmark? The Swiss? Norway? And I was in Serbia lately, and while it was not as developed as NW-EU, nobody there described it as decaying (and many said they experiences decay when living in western nations over the past 2 decades).

Denmark is the architect of Chat Control. Even the extreme version that requires all E2E communications be accessible to the government.

Denmark is not just decayed, it is completely rotten.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#57

Post by inigyou »

andsoitis wrote: post #16
skinfaxi wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the rationale to restrict it to citizens? Do you prefer a more open or more closed society?

The US and UK let anyone in the world file a request, regardless of citizenship. Countries that don’t usually rationalize: government is answerable primary to those it governs and taxes, limit flood of requests, some laws only extend rights to citizens of countries that offer similar rights back, worry that other governments could use it as low cost intelligence gathering, harder to charge or pursue fees.

Don't they have courts for those things? If they are receiving a flood of unreasonable requests I'm sure they could ask a judge if they really have to do them.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#58

Post by sam_lowry_ »

eigenspace wrote: post #31
greenavocado wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Poland, but its on borrowed time due to the extreme fertility crisis.

Lol, what on earth makes you single out Poland as the single western country not in decay right now?

Its economy has been growing for 30 years non-stop, to the point that it is now compared to Singapore.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#59

Post by mytailorisrich »

eigenspace wrote: post #48
Aeolun wrote: post #37

Wait? They previously allowed everybody and their mother to request the information? Limiting it to ‘citizens of the european union’ seems eminently reasonable.

Maybe, but the more problematic part is disallowing NGOs from submitting information requests. Multiple previous corruption scandals in Germany were exposed exactly because NGOs themselves were allowed to submit these information requests (and pay for them).

IMHO banning organisations from making requests will have no effect. People will just make requests in their own names, instead, then what?

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#60

Post by inigyou »

igl wrote: post #21
philipwhiuk wrote: post #4

I'm not really sure I buy the alarm on restricting FoI requests to German citizens and EU citizens in Germany. Should a random US citizen be able to ask a random Germany government official for data? Why?

This is a minor point. It gives the government broad power to reject any request, associations and media outlets are excluded, it costs more and the mandatory REDACTION OF NAMES is undercutting accountability completely. Yea, I don't give a shit wether only citizen should be able to request data.

The politicians' names are mandatorily redacted, but the requestor's name is mandatorily not redacted. Very convenient, really.
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