Media News - Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Google threatens to close German e-mail accounts

A bill proposed by the German government that would require telecommunications service providers to save information about their users could convince Google to turn off its German e-mail service. A telecommunications bill initiated by the German government would bring the country into line with EU data-retention standards by forcing Internet and e-mail providers store customer data, including personal information for six months to allow for identification, effectively outlawing the practice of using fake names or e-mail addresses on the Internet in Germany. The move angered US-based Google so much that the company threatened to close its popular e-mail service, which allows people to enter fake information when signing up for an e-mail address, according to the company's privacy representative, Peter Fleischer. Many users around the globe make use of this anonymity, be it to protect themselves from spam, or to publish their opinions despite state repression’, Fleischer said. (Deutsche Welle)

• Home |
• Seminars  |
• Events |
• Media Landscape |
• Newsroom|
• Media News|
• Resources

Terms of service and Privacy policy.

Copyright © 1992- 2011 European Journalism Centre. All rights reserved.

Valid XHTML and CSS.

European Journalism Centre

Sonneville-lunet 10
6221KT Maastricht
The Netherlands

Tel. : +31 43 325 40 30
Fax : +32 2 400 42 20

E-mail: info[at]ejc.net