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Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

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Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#21
post #13
post #7

Germany is no longer going to be one of the only places on Earth which punishes Wifi providers for what users do while on their network? I may actually be able to choose between more than 3 different cafes' that offer Wifi from my half of the city? (One fewer than a month ago.) Wow. That would actually be fantastic thanks for getting on that.

France does as well

Yes, but they have introduced new practical rules for simplified user registration.

And anyway they're not as restrictive as the Germans. For some fun, check GEMA vs Youtube: https://apps.opendatacity.de/gema-vs-youtube/en/

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#22

And as usual, the whole reason that this "liability law" existed in the first place was because Merkel was in bed with some green guy named Benjamin. And what's funny is the repeal is only happening because of monetary interests as well. I guess the movie/music industry isn't paying as much as the other guys offered! Sad to know that Merkel has made Germany into a mushroom tied to a string.

> Merkel was in bed with some green guy named Benjamin. What a misguided reference. Last I checked no Euro note or coin has anyone called "Benjamin" on them, in fact they don't have people on them at all, they're places. Americans really need to stop using the Benjamin/Jackson/etc thing online to describe money, it isn't a clever reference even in relation to US currency and just comes across as ignorant when used to…

> they're places

Not even real. Fictional arches & bridges.

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Merkel was in bed with some green guy named Benjamin. What a misguided reference. Last I checked no Euro note or coin has anyone called "Benjamin" on them, in fact they don't have people on them at all, they're places. Americans really need to stop using the Benjamin/Jackson/etc thing online to describe money, it isn't a clever reference even in relation to US currency and just comes across as ignorant when used to…

I actually misunderstood the entire statement because of this. I thought this was happening because of a politician from the green party and was going over green party politicians to figure out whom could possible me meant. I live in the US since 8 years and still misunderstood it.

Exactly. ignorance of politics backfires both ways.

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#25
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> From the "WLAN" café Is there any other country which calls WiFi as WLAN? I have traveled to many countries in Europe but I assume Germany, France and Luxembourg seem to be the only countries that use this term.

Never heard it in France (in France you usually use the word LAN or WLAN for local networks, as it should be).

Maybe that's because it stands for Local Area Network?

WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) are not long distance networks so it's a correct term.

A WiFi network is a WLAN but not all WLANs are WiFi networks.

WiFi is a trademark used for certified devices that adhere to the rules defined by the WiFi-Alliance consortium.

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#26
This bill is actually heavily criticized in germany, for example by the Freifunk initiative: http://freifunkstattangst.de/2015/06/16/neuer-tmg-entwurf-zu... (german)

The bill requires network operators to make "reasonable effort to secure the network against unauthorized access" and to "allow access only to users that have agreed not to violate the law during their use" of the network.

The bill also takes service providers into liability if they offer "gefahrgeeignete Dienste" (I have no idea how that accurately translates to english).

Heise has more information in german: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Bundesregierung-besch...

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#27
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> From the "WLAN" café Is there any other country which calls WiFi as WLAN? I have traveled to many countries in Europe but I assume Germany, France and Luxembourg seem to be the only countries that use this term.

Never heard it in France (in France you usually use the word LAN or WLAN for local networks, as it should be).

[deleted]

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#28

> providers won’t be held liable as long as they secure the network properly and get users to agree not to act illegally Of course they had to include that paragraph, forcing everyone to tick some stupid check-box. As if the cookie agreements weren't enough already.

I'm really trying to understand how anyone can think this is sensible. Maybe 20 years ago when these laws were written by people who had never used WiFi at a cafe before, but surely everyone involved with writing this bill intuits that this sort of a measure is utterly worthless and just induces frictions. Maybe it enables prosecution later for lying? Hard to believe they think that outweighs the costs.

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#29

This bill is actually heavily criticized in germany, for example by the Freifunk initiative: http://freifunkstattangst.de/2015/06/16/neuer-tmg-entwurf-zu... (german) The bill requires network operators to make "reasonable effort to secure the network against unauthorized access" and to "allow access only to users that have agreed not to violate the law during their use" of the network. The bill also takes service pro…

I think "gefahrgeeignete Dienste" could be translated as "services with potential for dangerous misuse", no?

Re: Germany's Wi-Fi Shortage Set to Ease as Merkel Backs New Bill

#30

> providers won’t be held liable as long as they secure the network properly and get users to agree not to act illegally Of course they had to include that paragraph, forcing everyone to tick some stupid check-box. As if the cookie agreements weren't enough already.

I'm really trying to understand how anyone can think this is sensible. Maybe 20 years ago when these laws were written by people who had never used WiFi at a cafe before, but surely everyone involved with writing this bill intuits that this sort of a measure is utterly worthless and just induces frictions. Maybe it enables prosecution later for lying? Hard to believe they think that outweighs the costs.

Did you ever take a look who sits in the European Parliament and European Commission?

Introducing Günther Oettinger, the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society: (wait for his English at the 0:20 mark) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88OGXLFpeMw

As a German I am completely embarrassed.

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