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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

#91

Post by sajithdilshan »

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 don’t think so. But if that’s what the people want who are you or me to question that? It’s the people’s will and democracy in action

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#92

Post by Ntrails »

jabiko wrote: post #72
mytailorisrich wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Also with the planned changes, you have to prove that you have an legitimate interest in the information. Which makes the whole thing very vague. So the government can just say that they don't think you have a legitimate interest in the information and deny your request. You would then have to sue. Also also want to invoice you for all costs that your request causes. Previously it was capped at 500€. So your request…

> Previously it was capped at 500€. So your request could cost you thousands of euros.

To be clear, it is currently costing the taxpayer said thousands of Euros. Time spent by government workers on FoI requests is meaningful and not free. That does not make them a bad idea, but we should be clear that passing costs on to the requester isn't precisely nefarious?

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#93

Post by eigenspace »

maratc wrote: post #88
dyauspitr wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

There are about 1.5 million immigrants from Ukraine alone.

The Americans who fetishize Poland do it because of their concept of it being 'racially pure' while having a growing economy. They don't particularly care about Ukrainians because Americans don't recognize any racial or ethnic difference between Ukrainians and Poles.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#94

Post by greenavocado »

dyauspitr wrote: post #52
eigenspace wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Where is the lie?

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#95

Post by greenavocado »

eigenspace wrote: post #93
maratc wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are about 1.5 million immigrants from Ukraine alone.

The Americans who fetishize Poland do it because of their concept of it being 'racially pure' while having a growing economy. They don't particularly care about Ukrainians because Americans don't recognize any racial or ethnic difference between Ukrainians and Poles.

Look up a map of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#96

Post by PurpleRamen »

Aeolun wrote: post #38
PurpleRamen wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is not to restrict it to German citizens, but removing it for everything which is not a citizen, like civil rights organizations, environment organizations, and everyone else who has a legit interest to check on the governments work.

Civil rights organisations are staffed by citizens. What is the problem here?

The plans also include that you have to have some relevant personal relation with the data. This will make it unlikely that an NGO can just request any random data under their staffs name. Additionally, requests should also mirror the real costs, which could go into the thousands or even ten of thousands. This makes it harder to find legit people which are willing to take the risks, even if the NGO could cover the costs.

Of course it's also all just speculation without any real laws written yet, but the direction is there.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#97

Post by greenavocado »

flossly wrote: post #32
greenavocado wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Is fertility so important? Maybe the other western countries are equally infertile, but just allowed many immigrants in (which counts are population expansion) that also have more children on average. How are Japan and Korea holing out? They are further down the infertility down-spiral.

[flagged]

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#98

Post by eigenspace »

greenavocado wrote: post #95
eigenspace wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Americans who fetishize Poland do it because of their concept of it being 'racially pure' while having a growing economy. They don't particularly care about Ukrainians because Americans don't recognize any racial or ethnic difference between Ukrainians and Poles.

Look up a map of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth

So you are confirming that I'm right in my assertion that the reason you aren't bothered by the Ukrainian refugees in Poland is that you don't see them diluting the racial purity of Poland?

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#99

Post by cucumber3732842 »

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).

>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)

Yeah, a lot of the western countries that aren't wealthy enough to afford the luxury of indulging in absurd farcical politics and policies over the past 40yr are doing pretty decent.

Re: Germany set to restrict its Freedom of Information Act

#100

Post by beeforpork »

PurpleRamen wrote: post #90
beeforpork wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The proposal to restrict the access to information came from Amthor himself -- he was in the working group to prepare this proposal for the coalition agreement. It is not a rumour, it is a plain public fact. Amthor's shady connection to Augustus Intelligence was revealed by a request using this law. https://fragdenstaat.de/artikel/exklusiv/2025/03/union-will-... (In German)

Yes, it's his job now doing this. But as long as he doesn't directly say it, we can only assume his personal motivation for taking this job and making this proposal, as also the motivation of those supporting him. So for legal reasons, it's "rumours".

Fair enough. And you are definitely better than them! :-) You are too kind to these people.
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