Germany's blanket data retention law is illegal, EU top court says

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https://www.reuters.com/technology/indiscriminate-data-retention-is-illegal-eu-top-court-says-2022-09-20/

LUXEMBOURG, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Germany's general data retention law violates EU law, Europe's top court ruled on Tuesday,
dealing a blow to member states banking on blanket data collection to fight crime and safeguard national security.

The law may only be applied in circumstances where there is a serious threat to national security defined under very strict terms,
the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) said.

"The Court of Justice confirms that EU law precludes the general and indiscriminate retention of traffic and location data,
except in the case of a serious threat to national security," the judges said.

"However, in order to combat serious crime, the member states may, in strict compliance with the principle of proportionality,
provide for, inter alia, the targeted or expedited retention of such data and the general and indiscriminate retention of IP addresses," they said.

Germany's blanket data retention law is illegal, EU top court says

Germany's general data retention law violates EU law, Europe's top court ruled on Tuesday, dealing a blow to member states banking on blanket data collection to fight crime and safeguard national security.

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