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Week 46: The week in which we go to the secret police
The 46th calendar week is coming to an end. We have published 19 new texts with a total of 136,513 characters. Welcome to the weekly review of network politics.
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The 46th calendar week is coming to an end. We have published 19 new texts with a total of 136,513 characters. Welcome to the weekly review of network politics.
Dear readers,
Germany is on the way to creating a kind of secret police. And considering what the black-red coalition successfully got through the Bundestag yesterday, Friday, the reactions so far have been surprisingly cautious. Hardly anyone protests against it, but this reform from Dobrindt (CSU) is really a radical change.
For example, agents of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution should be given the right to secretly enter citizens' homes. They should even be allowed to secretly destroy or manipulate data storage media and delete information.
Anyone who ends up on the radar of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, for whatever reason, may never find out who was in the apartment and why. Because unlike the police, who previously only had to search an apartment after a court order and had to follow many rules, “real secret services,” as Dobrindt now calls them, hardly have to be accountable.
That's a pretty tough move for a constitutional state. Especially for a constitutional state like Germany, where the tasks of the secret services and the police were deliberately separated, as a lesson from National Socialism and the brutality with which the Secret State Police acted against Jews and political dissidents at the time. The separation requirement was an important pillar of caution in containing the security apparatus and protecting people from attacks by the state.
Secretly entering homes is just one of many problematic new powers. My colleague Anna Biselli has ithttps://netzpolitik.org/2026/geheimdienstreform-das-ist-nicht-sicherheit...listed here. Left-wing MP Clara Bünger gave a fiery counter-speech in the Bundestag yesterday. She was flanked by thehttps://netzpolitik.org/2026/brief-an-gesetze-28-organizations-wehr...many human rights organizations. Konstantin von Notz from the opposition Greens, however, praised the coalition's work: "Today is a good day for the security of the Federal Republic of Germany."
Add fuel to the fire
With this reform, the federal government is adding fuel to the fire: it is arming the surveillance state and curtailing basic rights. This is particularly dangerous at a time when right-wing extremists are pushing towards the government. Because the protection of democratic values and achievements begins before the right-wing radicals take control of the levers of power.
This is one of the reasons why we reported closely and in detail about this law. As is so often the case, we couldn't prevent it. But we at least want the critical voices to be as loud as possible and for the historic extent to which this reform is changing our democracy to be made clear. It is truly a “reform of the century,” as Alexander Dobrindt says – just not in a good sense.
We don't just say out loud what is going wrong and what is dangerous for our constitution. We also think about security differently and in a new way. As real security that starts with our livelihoods, with education, social security or climate protection.
So that fundamental rights and freedoms have an audible voice,https://netzpolitik.org/2026/wir-suche-300-brandschutzhelferinnen-in-30...we currently support. Our search for fire protection helpers is still ongoing until Sunday: people who will support us with a monthly amount.
This makes a big difference for us, because regular support has a more lasting effect than an individual donation. This allows us to conduct long-term research and at the same time go in-depth. We have to ask for support less often and can put more energy into editorial work.
If you support our work with a permanent donation, we can stick with it - on the secret service reform, on this federal government and on all attempts that endanger our constitution. We dig through the desert of laws to make it clear what is happening.
This is only possible with your help.
Chris
Degitalization: Agility
Germany should become faster in expanding AI; this supposedly requires deregulation and an agile approach. 17 software developers achieved such agility back in 2001. With very different results. By Bianca Kastl –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/degitisierung-agilitaet/">Articleread
Behavior Analysis Training Videos: There is never enough violence for surveillance AI
The Berlin behavioral scanner is trained with AI videos. This is a challenge for the quality of the software. In order to improve it, additional data from monitored people is used. By Martin Schwarzbeck –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/trainingsvideos-fuer- Behaviorsanalyse-fuer...read
Less government transparency: Dobrindt’s plans are an “attack on freedom of the press”
There is widespread opposition to the Interior Minister's plans to restrict freedom of information. The journalism union dju speaks of an “attack on freedom of the press,” while the Federal Data Protection Commissioner considers the plans to be “legally questionable.” By Markus Reuter –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/weniger-staat-transparenz-dobrindts-pl...read
Days of Action against data centers: Taking on AI, capitalism and ecological harm
At last weekend’s “Days of Action”, activists across Europe protested against the data center boom, with actions ranging from occupying a Microsoft construction site in Amsterdam to organizing opposition in Berlin. They told netzpolitik.org why they are acting now. The groups are strikingly diverse but united by one demand: a moratorium on new large data centers. By Muna Turki –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/days-of-action-against-data-centers-taking-...read
Days of action on data centers: Against AI, capitalism and environmental destruction
Last weekend, activists across Europe protested against the data center boom. The groups involved are diverse, but united by one demand: They want a stop to construction of large data centers. By Muna Turki –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/aktionstage-zu-rechenzentren-gegen-ki-kapit...read
Shortly before the Bundestag vote: Where the Union and SPD are expanding the secret service reform
The government factions are stepping up their efforts on intelligence reform. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution should be able to target organized crime, while the BND is allowed to continue to penetrate private homes domestically. The Bundestag will vote on the project on Friday. We publish the black and red amendment. By Daniel Leisegang, Anna Biselli –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/kurz-vor-bundetagsabstimm-an-welchen-st...read
Racial Profiling: Police search migrant people in Frankfurt
The Frankfurt police apparently specifically check migrant young men, search their cell phones and photograph those checked. She denies the accusation of carrying out racist controls. By Markus Reuter –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/racial-profiling-polizei-durchsucht-in-fran...read
Der Milliardenmarkt der Online-Werbung schadet nicht nur Verbraucher:innen, sondern auch Werbetreibenden und Publishern. Europäische Digitalgesetze bekommen die Probleme nicht in den Griff. This is shown by an extensive study commissioned by the EU Commission. By Ingo Dachwitz –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/eu-studie-bei-online-werbung-versagen-die-eu...read
AI infrastructure and politics: The new power players at Meta
The tech company Meta doesn't want to waste any time in the race for AI infrastructure. But many projects also have to be pushed through politically. A new leadership team with the best contacts to the Trump administration should help with this. By Tomas Rudl –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/ki-architektur-und-politik-die-neuen-powe...read
GovTech Germany: Well connected, poorly screened
GovTech Germany has been good for gossip for a long time: public contracts are awarded without tendering and with the Germany platform, the association is building a competing product to the federal government's Germany stack. This is now also confirmed by the federal government's answers to a request from the Greens. By Esther Menhard –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/govtech-deutschland-gut-vernetzt-besser-d...read
Digital Fairness Law: How the EU wants to protect consumers on the Internet
The EU Commission promises the end of subscription traps and other manipulative tricks in the online world with its new law for digital fairness, which updates consumer protection. But one of the rules could become the new cookie banner in practice. Some restrictions should only apply to minors. By Anna Ströbele Romero –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/gesetz-zur-digitalen-fairness-wie-die-eu-ve...read
Digital Fairness Act: A missed opportunity
Instead of trying to make a big splash with the law for digital fairness, the EU Commission is limiting itself to patchwork in a few areas. European consumers remain unprotected from the dangers of online tracking and data trading. A comment. By Ingo Dachwitz –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/digital-fairness-act-eine-verpasste-chance/...read
Mental Illness Act in Schleswig-Holstein: Police should be informed if there is an assumed danger to others
After Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein also wants to inform the police when certain patients leave the psychiatric hospital - via the district route. A “scientific instrument” is intended to assess the risk. Experts doubt that this is possible. By Anna Biselli –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/psychisch-kranken-gesetz-in-schleswig-holst...read
Letter to MPs: 28 organizations oppose intelligence reform
Civil rights organizations warn that the secret service reform weakens the separation requirement, expands surveillance powers and provides too little control over the services. They are calling for a “no” vote in Friday’s vote. By Markus Reuter –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/brief-an-gesetze-28-organizations-wehr...read
Analysis of the coalition agreement: Automated data analysis is also coming to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
The coalition agreement of the red-red-green government in MV contains a lot of digital and internet policy. Despite the rejection of the Palantir Group and the promotion of open source, no expansion of fundamental rights and freedoms is to be expected. A network policy analysis. By Markus Reuter –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/analyse-des-koalitionsvertrages-automatisie...read
Federal budget: Federal government conceals AI spending
The federal AI task force is intended to make Germany an AI nation by 2030. How Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger wants to finance this and how much the federal government is currently spending on AI remains nebulous. By Esther Menhard –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/bundesfinanz-bund-verschlet-ki-nachrichten...read
Intelligence reform: This is not security
The BND and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution will have more powers in the future. But that’s not enough to make us safer – quite the opposite. A comment. By Anna Biselli –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/geheimdienstreform-das-ist-nicht-sicherheit...read
Amazon Ring is upgrading: finally autonomous drones for home surveillance!
Autonomous drones don’t just fly for the military. They are now even available for home monitoring use. Unfortunately, this is not a report for April 1st, but reality. A comment. By Markus Reuter –
https://netzpolitik.org/2026/amazon-ring-ruestet-auf-endlich-autonome-dr...read
#314 Off The Record: Where Palantir does business in Europe
Anna researched with Constanze and many European journalists where Palantir is involved. Sebastian and Ingo are dissatisfied with a new Databroker release. And: We are happy about an award for our podcast. The new episode Off The Record. By Ingo Dachwitz –
https://netzpolitik.org/podcast/wo-palantir-in-europa-geschaefte-macht/"...read
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