Statewatch | Austria legalises state spyware amidst strong opposition
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Austria is set to legalise the use of highly-intrusive spyware by state authorities. The government has justified the law in the name of monitoring encrypted messaging applications. Opponents warn that there is no way to prevent the authorities accessing reams of sensitive information on targeted individuals, despite official promises to the contrary. Civil society organisations and opposition parties have promised to challenge the law in court.

On 9 July, Austrian parliamentarians passed a highly controversial bill legalising the deployment of state-sponsored spyware, known as the Federal Trojan (Bundestrojaner), to enable the interception of encrypted communications.

It would do so by amending several laws, including:

  • the State Security and Intelligence Service Act;
  • the Security Police Act;
  • the Telecommunications Act;
  • the Federal Administrative Court Act; and
  • the Judges’ and Public Prosecutors’ Service Act.

The interior minister Gerhard Karner, described it as a “special day for security.”