Thank you Germany: Part 094: Liberal democracy respects the privacy of its citizens

Although there have been more and more surveillance measures in Germany recently, the country is still one of the best liberal democracies in the world. The privacy of citizens is very important to the political class in Berlin. Politicians know very well what an important asset the protection of privacy is. Accordingly, political representatives also pay attention to this protection. Provisions on data protection attempt to make these legal regulations fit for the digital age. The best possible solution has not always been found. There is no doubt that some of the current regulations are still too bureaucratic or show too little understanding for the protection of privacy under the conditions of the permanent exchange of data via a wide variety of technical end devices.

After all, every user today is directly connected to the internet via their smartphone. In principle, however, the protection of privacy in Germany is clearly laid down in the Basic Law. Liberal democracy sets itself apart from the ultimate security of an authoritarian surveillance state. This is an important advantage for Germany, especially in the digital age. We should be proud of this advantage and we should not squander it politically. Many associations and internet activists in Germany are working to ensure that these special qualities of liberal democracy are preserved. For people to feel comfortable in a state, they must also have a private sphere to which the state has no access. The fact that the German state has grasped this principle and follows its basic tenets is not a weakness - it is a strength. This special quality must be emphasised again and again. This quality should also be strengthened and enforced in other countries.

A free and secure internet, but also the protection of one's own privacy, are important cornerstones for a secure life in the digital age. This also means that every user must have the right to access their own data and must not be monitored without good reason. Although there is always a debate in Germany about balancing freedom and security, this principle remains. And it is a good thing that it remains. While the wildest surveillance fantasies are circulating in political discussions in other countries, it is not possible to implement them in a similar way in Germany. It would be met with opposition from civil society too quickly. Even today, the possibility of state data retention goes too far for many Germans, as do many other state security measures.

The fact that Germans show such great scepticism towards their own state is evidence of a special political awareness. This scepticism is an expression of political awareness as citizens of a liberal democracy. The preservation of this liberal sphere and the protection of privacy and private data is important to almost every citizen in Germany. People are very aware of this. Germans here are far more politically aware of their rights than in many other countries. Many actively stand up for these rights and take part in the debate.