- cross-posted to:
- europe@feddit.org
- technology@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- europe@feddit.org
- technology@lemmy.world
cross-posted from: https://piefed.zip/c/privacy/p/704592/switzerland-plans-surveillance-worse-than-us-tuta
Revision of Swiss surveillance law VÜPF would directly target VPN & encrypted chat and email providers based in Switzerland.
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Love when people claim certain VPN companies or similar can be trusted.
First of all, they want to make profit. More profit. Always more. So if they don’t sell your data now, they will soon.
Secondly, there is no country that will not fuck them up in a timely matter. The only way is to have decentralized, uncontrolable, huge networks. Tor.
TBH, I always viewed it with suspicion when public commentators in the past were so eager to praise Switzerland as some kind of privacy paradise. Given the current state of affairs, I would much rather have actors in the EU handle my data than actors in Switzerland (although the EU isn’t perfect either, and the struggle for privacy is ongoing).
This seems like old news to me. The consultation period to the VÜPF revision ran early this year. I remember because we voiced our issues with the revision through our business association Asut. Just looked it up, it was 29. Jan to 6. May.
Almost all the big parties were against it, only The Centre didn’t submit a statement : https://www.inside-it.ch/vupf-revision-faellt-in-der-vernehmlassung-komplett-durch-20250507
And the organization Digitale Gesellschaft has since collected 15000 signatures for a petition to the Federal Council : https://www.digitale-gesellschaft.ch/2025/05/18/petition-demokratie-statt-ueberwachungsstaat-an-bundesrat-beat-jans-vorsteher-des-eidgenoessischen-justiz-und-polizeidepartements-ejpd/
I’m not against Tuta also taking a stance, it’s good if they do. Its just a bit weird that they marked it “Breaking News”. I just wanted to give some context that this is not a new thing, and people are working against the proposal already.
Stupid question: why are several countries / governments taking these steps? What is in favor of more insights into the communication?
My guess is a mix of a) techbros like Zuck pushing it because more regulation always makes it easier for big companies who can quickly comply with new laws unlike smaller competitors, b) all governments being run by people 60+ who grew up believing the internet is scary and needs to be regulated as much as possible and c) rising right-wing parties who hope to use that surveillance infrastracture for their goals once in power.
Stuff like chat control is also pushed by companies selling the AI scanning software chat control requires.
IIRC, Thorn had an EU lobbying budget of 24M€ a couple of years back. Probably hasn’t changed since.
When everything goes to shit in a few decades because of global warming, they want to hold all the cards.
Fear of crime. People hope the crazies will be caught online before they hurt us.
Luckily, thanks to Switzerland’s direct democracy model, Proton and co. will likely garner enough signatures to challenge this with a referendum. What makes me worry is how they’ve tried to introduce this without consulting parliament.
I wouldn’t be so sure. This is an executive order, not a law. We can’t start referenda against executive orders. The underlying legal framework that allows these for surveillance (Büpf) was passed although the people had a chance to reject it. I share your hope, but not the optimism.
Ouch, I wasn’t privy to the particulars, nor am I a resident of Switzerland, merely an admirer of how things are run there (usually). I guess the people’s notions of liberty aren’t as strong there as I had thought!
Ok, I think Bern has had the capital title for too long, they’re getting a little loopy, or the bears are wearing the man skin again pretending to be humans like they did in the 30s last time.
Either way, stop emulating the US and China damn you.
That coldhearted asshole is doing it again wow
