Germany de.indymedia
Week 44: The week when we were still missing 200 fire protection assistants
The 44th calendar week is coming to an end. We have published 9 new texts with a total of 74,470 characters. Welcome to the weekly review of network politics.
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The 44th calendar week is coming to an end. We have published 9 new texts with a total of 74,470 characters. Welcome to the weekly review of network politics.
Dear reader, dear reader,
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/wir-suche-300-brandschutzhelferinnen-in-30...We are currently looking for around 200 new fire protection assistants, i.e. people who support us with permanent donations to defend basic rights against the conflagration of fascism. Help is more important than ever right now. Because the authoritarian restructuring of society does not just begin with a potential AfD government. It is already in full swing.
Right now, a surveillance instrument is being introduced in Germanyhttps://netzpolitik.org/2025/biometrics-weltweit-hier- Werden-protestieren...ary regimesto stifle civil society resistance. In China, for example, software detects when people gather without authorization. A system that analyzes the movements of people in space is now also runninghttps://netzpolitik.org/2026/behavioursscanner-in-berlin-jetzt-beginnt-d...Kottbusser Tor in Berlin– and soonhttps://netzpolitik.org/2026/neues-bundespolizeigesetz-der-bundestag-hat...many German train stations.
In Russia, demonstrators are identified using facial recognition. If you use the train later, the police will be informed of your whereabouts. The necessary tools should also be used throughout Germany.
Because of these and many similar developments, we need you as a fire protection assistant. Long-term donors make our long-term commitment possible. Every euro we have available counts and makes us more operational. And even if you don't have anything left right now, you can help us: Tell others about our fight for civil liberties during the authoritarian transition and against automated surveillance. Together we can change the course of the world.
What does it actually mean when we say: “https://netzpolitik.org/2026/fuer-deine-grundrechte-die-huette-brennt-wi...Hut is burning. We're going in"? There are four main things with which we fight for a free and open society: We sound the alarm, we examine legislative proposals, we make people visible - and we free documents.
We want to see the training data for behavioral scanners
When we make documents that have been kept secret accessible, it can sometimes be difficult. However, we are particularly trying to find documents that could have a certain entertainment value. With what's left of the https://netzpolitik.org/2026/im-namen-der-sicherheit-berliner-senat-besc...Freedom of Information Act is left, we have the complete oneshttps://fragdenstaat.de/anfrage/trainingsdaten-zur- Behaviorsmustererken...requestedwho are behind the video surveillance with behavioral scanners in Berlin.
What does it look like if you want to show software what a fight looks like? I would really like to know that.
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Against ID checks online.
We are fighting for an open internet.https://netzpolitik.org/spenden/?via=rss">Thisonly possible with your support.
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The films are largely AI-generated. This means that the personal rights of show-fighting police officers must be respected, unlikehttps://fragdenstaat.de/anfrage/trainingsmaterial-fuer- Behaviorsanalyse...Mannheim, are not taken into account. On thehttps://staige.com/">Websitefrom the software manufacturer StaigeYou can find sample clips of permitted and prohibited behavior (under: Violence Recognition). This absolutely weird piece of AI crap brings quite entertaining scenes to the screen: tram doors open at full speed, people wave and smile at surveillance cameras, hop around like rabbits - or fight without touching each other.
I don't want to promise too much at this point. First of all, it's about getting the data. I would really like a collective, commented viewing of such videos for friends and fire protection workers from netzpolitik.org, accompanied by input from experts on “intelligent” video surveillance and the future of public space. We'll keep you updated.
Together we are strong!
Martin
Breakpoint: Forbidden emancipatory?
Hundreds of thousands of young people are calling for mass protests in Europe. Social media plays a crucial role in this. TikTok, Instagram and Co. are still not emancipatory. But at least they are effective enough that some people want to switch them off. By Carla Siepmann –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/breakpoint-wennen-emanzipatorisch/">Articleread
“My educational space”: million dollars for a digital certificate folder
The federal government has buried the major digital project “My Education Space”. All that remains of the promise to promote lifelong learning is a digital certificate folder. The reasons for the failure can be named. A comment. By Esther Menhard –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/mein-bildungsraum-millionengrab-fuer-eine-d...read
Account bans on Instagram and Facebook: subjected to meta arbitrariness
Meta blocks accounts of organizations and individuals without giving a clear reason. Because the bans often affect queer and progressive accounts, critics accuse Meta of censorship. By Anna Ströbele Romero –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/account-sperr-auf-instagram-und-facebook-...read
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The work of netzpolitik.org is financed by donations from our readers.
You too can support our public interest-oriented, advertising- and tracking-free journalism.https://netzpolitik.org/spenden/?via=rss">Donatenow..
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Presidential election in Brazil: Won with and despite the Internet
Brazil's left has traditionally had a difficult time on social media. Despite the headwinds, President Lula managed to be re-elected. An online campaign that relied on local mobilization made a decisive contribution to this. By Tomas Rudl –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/praesidentwahl-in-brasilien-gewonnen...read
EU Commission: Frontex should become a deportation agency
With two draft laws, the EU Commission wants to upgrade the Frontex border agency to a central deportation agency. Social media monitoring also plays a role. An EU MP warns that Frontex could become a European version of the US deportation police ICE. By Anna Biselli –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/eu-kommission-frontex-soll-zur-abschiedage...read
Impact assessment of the Kids Act: EU Commission downplays threats to fundamental rights
With the Kids Act, the EU Commission is planning nationwide age controls online. An impact assessment should allay concerns. The approximately 80-page paper downplays dangers, ignores criticism and ignores milder means. The analysis. By Sebastian Meineck –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/followingabschaetzung-zum-kids-act-eu-kommissi...read
Referendum: Tech billionaires mobilize against California tax on the rich
California votes on a tax on the rich next week. For the first time, assets worth over a billion US dollars could be subject to a one-off tax. Affected super-rich people, many of them from Silicon Valley, are mobilizing against this. By Tomas Rudl –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/volksentscheid-tech-milliardaere-mobilisier...read
“Border partnership”: The EU data protection officer also criticizes the planned police agreement with the USA
The European Data Protection Supervisor is calling for stricter limits on the exchange of sensitive police data with US authorities. The federal government is even keeping its negotiations on this secret in parliament.
By Matthias Monroy –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/borderpartnerschaft-auch-der-eu-datenschuetz...read
Transparency report 3rd quarter 2026: Our income and expenses and pressure in the boiler
The pointer on the political pressure gauge is steadily climbing upwards. As is well known, pressure creates counterpressure. Young people in particular want a change. We stand alongside civil society and are looking for 300 fire protection assistants. From netzpolitik.org –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/transparenzbericht-3-quartal-2026-unsere-ei...read
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We report on current internet policy developments, uncover scandals and initiate debates. We are completely independent. Because our fight for digital freedom rights is financed by donations from our readers.https://netzpolitik.org/spenden/?via=rss">Nowdonate.