content. After ONI testing, however, the German government signed an agreement
with five leading ISPs for the filtering of child pornography using DNS tampering. 43 Although the filters will initially target a list of approximately 1,000 child pornography
sites, the Ministry of Family Affairs has stated that it could be expanded to include
other content in the future.
Conclusion
Currently, German users can access the Internet with only mild restrictions. However,
the April 2009 filtering bill and the recent legislation on data retention could have a
staggering effect on Web site access and Internet surveillance in the future. The decision to implement a large-scale filtering system follows in the footsteps of a number
of other European nations, including the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries, and could prove to be influential for other members of the EU.
Notes
1. Robert Trager and Donna Lee Dickerson, Freedom of Expression in the 21st Century (Thousand
Oaks: Pine Forge Press, 1999), 8.
2. Ibid., 105.
3. Strafgesetzbuch [German Criminal Code], Section 130, http://bundesrecht.juris.de/stgb/
__130.html.
4. International Telecommunications Union (ITU), ‘‘Internet Indicators: Subscribers, Users, and
Broadband Subscribers,’’ 2008, http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/icteye/Reporting/ShowReportFrame.aspx
?ReportName=/WTI/InformationTechnologyPublic&RP_intYear=2008&RP_intLanguageID=1.
5. Rhein-Zeitung Online, ‘‘HanseNet Greift Internetanbieter Deutschlandweit an’’ [HanseNet
Attacks Internet Service Providers throughout Germany], June 30, 2005, http://rhein-zeitung.de/
on/05/07/19/service/multimedia/t/rzo163384.html.
6. Bernd W. Wirtz, ‘‘Unser Leben im Netz’’ [Our Life Online], Deutschland Online, http://www
.studie-deutschland-online.de/do5/sdo_2007_de.pdf.
7. T-Online, ‘‘DSL Tarif,’’ http://www.dsl.t-online.de/c/12/42/10/20/12421020.html.
8. European Exchange Points, http://www.ep.net/naps_eu2.html.
9. DE-CIX German Internet Exchange, http://www.de-cix.net/.
10. Bundesnetzagentur [Federal Network Agency], http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/.
11. Bundesministerium der Justiz [Federal Ministry of Justice], ‘‘Telekommunikationsgesetz’’
[Telecommunications Act], http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/tkg_2004/.
Germany
313
with five leading ISPs for the filtering of child pornography using DNS tampering. 43 Although the filters will initially target a list of approximately 1,000 child pornography
sites, the Ministry of Family Affairs has stated that it could be expanded to include
other content in the future.
Conclusion
Currently, German users can access the Internet with only mild restrictions. However,
the April 2009 filtering bill and the recent legislation on data retention could have a
staggering effect on Web site access and Internet surveillance in the future. The decision to implement a large-scale filtering system follows in the footsteps of a number
of other European nations, including the United Kingdom and Scandinavian countries, and could prove to be influential for other members of the EU.
Notes
1. Robert Trager and Donna Lee Dickerson, Freedom of Expression in the 21st Century (Thousand
Oaks: Pine Forge Press, 1999), 8.
2. Ibid., 105.
3. Strafgesetzbuch [German Criminal Code], Section 130, http://bundesrecht.juris.de/stgb/
__130.html.
4. International Telecommunications Union (ITU), ‘‘Internet Indicators: Subscribers, Users, and
Broadband Subscribers,’’ 2008, http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/icteye/Reporting/ShowReportFrame.aspx
?ReportName=/WTI/InformationTechnologyPublic&RP_intYear=2008&RP_intLanguageID=1.
5. Rhein-Zeitung Online, ‘‘HanseNet Greift Internetanbieter Deutschlandweit an’’ [HanseNet
Attacks Internet Service Providers throughout Germany], June 30, 2005, http://rhein-zeitung.de/
on/05/07/19/service/multimedia/t/rzo163384.html.
6. Bernd W. Wirtz, ‘‘Unser Leben im Netz’’ [Our Life Online], Deutschland Online, http://www
.studie-deutschland-online.de/do5/sdo_2007_de.pdf.
7. T-Online, ‘‘DSL Tarif,’’ http://www.dsl.t-online.de/c/12/42/10/20/12421020.html.
8. European Exchange Points, http://www.ep.net/naps_eu2.html.
9. DE-CIX German Internet Exchange, http://www.de-cix.net/.
10. Bundesnetzagentur [Federal Network Agency], http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/.
11. Bundesministerium der Justiz [Federal Ministry of Justice], ‘‘Telekommunikationsgesetz’’
[Telecommunications Act], http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/tkg_2004/.
Germany
313