Germany sacks Verizon over NSA spying

[Chef Ramsay]

Short reporting clip from Russia Today on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxy8UShBjKc

Citing concerns over the NSA's wiretapping of Chancellor Angela Merkel and other top officials' phones, the German Interior Ministry announced Thursday that it will not renew its contract with Verizon to provide service for government ministries. As part of an effort to revamp its secure communications networks, the country will instead rely on Germany's own Deutsche Telekom. RT's Ameera David has more details on the announcement and its fallout.

Apparently, Merkel got herself a new 3400$ Blackberry w/ some special crypto chip in it so that all her communications are on lock down. I hope this is just a start in a world backlash against the NSA as well as continual and rising opposition to it from many her in America (notice I don't say the United States).

[bitsmichel]

Short reporting clip from Russia Today on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxy8UShBjKc

Citing concerns over the NSA's wiretapping of Chancellor Angela Merkel and other top officials' phones, the German Interior Ministry announced Thursday that it will not renew its contract with Verizon to provide service for government ministries. As part of an effort to revamp its secure communications networks, the country will instead rely on Germany's own Deutsche Telekom. RT's Ameera David has more details on the announcement and its fallout.

Apparently, Merkel got herself a new 3400$ Blackberry w/ some special crypto chip in it so that all her communications are on lock down. I hope this is just a start in a world backlash against the NSA as well as continual and rising opposition to it from many her in America (notice I don't say the United States).

Merkel does it for public image, behind the doors she is on the same side. The German secret service is coorporating with the NSA, all germans citizen data (and US citizen data) is exchanged - and both have access to each others tools.

[Benjig]

People need to buy throw away phones, Pay as you go, Use a fake name and address then throw it away every 3 months. Or figure out that you can talk to people face to face with out the damn things.

[Este Nuno]

Short reporting clip from Russia Today on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxy8UShBjKc

Citing concerns over the NSA's wiretapping of Chancellor Angela Merkel and other top officials' phones, the German Interior Ministry announced Thursday that it will not renew its contract with Verizon to provide service for government ministries. As part of an effort to revamp its secure communications networks, the country will instead rely on Germany's own Deutsche Telekom. RT's Ameera David has more details on the announcement and its fallout.

Apparently, Merkel got herself a new 3400$ Blackberry w/ some special crypto chip in it so that all her communications are on lock down. I hope this is just a start in a world backlash against the NSA as well as continual and rising opposition to it from many her in America (notice I don't say the United States).

I wonder how much that cost Verizon.

I wonder if things like this will force corporations to decide to fight against the government intrusions. If it costs them enough money you can bet they will attempt to do something about it.

[Chef Ramsay]

There's definitely a market that needs to be fed in terms of offering suped up/encrypted phones that have a normal price range. I'm sure there's some BTC startup thinking about such a service.

[Este Nuno]

There's definitely a market that needs to be fed in terms of offering suped up/encrypted phones that have a normal price range. I'm sure there's some BTC startup thinking about such a service.

I know there is an altcoin right now that is working on integration encrypted calling/video calling in to it's wallet. I know that's not the same as an encrypted phone, but with the way phones are going these days if you can get a secure open source phone from mozilla or something and run it as an app that is better than nothing, no?

[negafen]

Merkel does it for public image, behind the doors she is on the same side. The German secret service is coorporating with the NSA, all germans citizen data (and US citizen data) is exchanged - and both have access to each others tools.

Good that people still have somewhat influence even for public image sake.

[DannyElfman]

There's definitely a market that needs to be fed in terms of offering suped up/encrypted phones that have a normal price range. I'm sure there's some BTC startup thinking about such a service.

As far as I know its possible with any smartphone using VOIP and encryption. Its supported by SIP but I'm not sure how many clients offer it and if there's any standard forms. Meant to get it set up a few months ago but... anyway, many mobile operators block VOIP so it can be tricky sometimes (Vodafone does).

Another requirement is that the encryption software needs to be open source. If it is not then it should be assumed that there is some kind of back door for an attacker (likely the NSA/US government) to use.

It would also need to communicate P2P via the internet to who you are talking to instead of going through a central server. Utilizing a central server makes it possible that some kind of back door would be used when the messages are relayed via the central server.

Most importantly, any private key would need to be created on the client side by the device with a RNG that is truly random.

[Ron~Popeil]

You would think the German government would have been using their own companies all ready. If I were German I would be a bit ticked off that they were spending money on cell service benefiting a foreign country instead of my own countrymen. How many jobs were created in the US just because of this?

[minime]

Short reporting clip from Russia Today on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxy8UShBjKc

Citing concerns over the NSA's wiretapping of Chancellor Angela Merkel and other top officials' phones, the German Interior Ministry announced Thursday that it will not renew its contract with Verizon to provide service for government ministries. As part of an effort to revamp its secure communications networks, the country will instead rely on Germany's own Deutsche Telekom. RT's Ameera David has more details on the announcement and its fallout.

Apparently, Merkel got herself a new 3400$ Blackberry w/ some special crypto chip in it so that all her communications are on lock down. I hope this is just a start in a world backlash against the NSA as well as continual and rising opposition to it from many her in America (notice I don't say the United States).

Merkel does it for public image, behind the doors she is on the same side. The German secret service is coorporating with the NSA, all germans citizen data (and US citizen data) is exchanged - and both have access to each others tools.

do you really think the us would give access to all their tools to a foreign country/agency?  roflmao

[efreeti]

You would think the German government would have been using their own companies all ready. If I were German I would be a bit ticked off that they were spending money on cell service benefiting a foreign country instead of my own countrymen. How many jobs were created in the US just because of this?

Contract need to be awarded to competent and reasonable cost company.

[LAstar]

Now Angela Merkel will learn what PRISM is.

[Ron~Popeil]

You would think the German government would have been using their own companies all ready. If I were German I would be a bit ticked off that they were spending money on cell service benefiting a foreign country instead of my own countrymen. How many jobs were created in the US just because of this?

Contract need to be awarded to competent and reasonable cost company.

Do you really think that Germany isn't capable of providing such a service? They lead the world in a lot of engineering areas. Telecom should not be a big issue for them.

[InwardContour]

You would think the German government would have been using their own companies all ready. If I were German I would be a bit ticked off that they were spending money on cell service benefiting a foreign country instead of my own countrymen. How many jobs were created in the US just because of this?

Contract need to be awarded to competent and reasonable cost company.

Do you really think that Germany isn't capable of providing such a service? They lead the world in a lot of engineering areas. Telecom should not be a big issue for them.

Much of europe is too small to have individual companies for each country for every industry. The companies would simply not be able to reach an economy of scale that is necessary to be profitable.

[arbitrage001]

You would think the German government would have been using their own companies all ready. If I were German I would be a bit ticked off that they were spending money on cell service benefiting a foreign country instead of my own countrymen. How many jobs were created in the US just because of this?

Contract need to be awarded to competent and reasonable cost company.

Do you really think that Germany isn't capable of providing such a service? They lead the world in a lot of engineering areas. Telecom should not be a big issue for them.

Much of europe is too small to have individual companies for each country for every industry. The companies would simply not be able to reach an economy of scale that is necessary to be profitable.

The intended goal of specialization is to reach economy of scale so product and service can be offered at competitive price.

What we have today is every company in the west trying to corner the market and selling crap at elevated price.

[InwardContour]

You would think the German government would have been using their own companies all ready. If I were German I would be a bit ticked off that they were spending money on cell service benefiting a foreign country instead of my own countrymen. How many jobs were created in the US just because of this?

Contract need to be awarded to competent and reasonable cost company.

Do you really think that Germany isn't capable of providing such a service? They lead the world in a lot of engineering areas. Telecom should not be a big issue for them.

Much of europe is too small to have individual companies for each country for every industry. The companies would simply not be able to reach an economy of scale that is necessary to be profitable.

The intended goal of specialization is to reach economy of scale so product and service can be offered at competitive price.

What we have today is every company in the west trying to corner the market and selling crap at elevated price.

Speculation is essentially gambling that the price of something will move a certain way.

There are many industries in the european economy that simply cannot be profitable without using an economy of scale.

[validium]

Now Angela Merkel will learn what PRISM is.

I tend to think she already knew of the existence of PRISM its all just pretending just like she pretended how furious she was when she learned that the NSA is tapping her phone.

And we all know that her government is in bed with the usa gov

http://rt.com/news/us-drones-germany-ramstein-625/

[newflesh]

Now Angela Merkel will learn what PRISM is.

I tend to think she already knew of the existence of PRISM its all just pretending just like she pretended how furious she was when she learned that the NSA is tapping her phone.

And we all know that her government is in bed with the usa gov

http://rt.com/news/us-drones-germany-ramstein-625/

Yeah I'm sure Merkel must have known of the NSA's blanket surveillance, think she was just giving lip service to the general public.

Would like to get me one of those encrypted phones

[GangkisKhan]

Now Angela Merkel will learn what PRISM is.

I tend to think she already knew of the existence of PRISM its all just pretending just like she pretended how furious she was when she learned that the NSA is tapping her phone.

And we all know that her government is in bed with the usa gov

http://rt.com/news/us-drones-germany-ramstein-625/

Yeah I'm sure Merkel must have known of the NSA's blanket surveillance, think she was just giving lip service to the general public.

Would like to get me one of those encrypted phones

People are over-estimating the competency of their leaders. One person can only do so many things and be informed after there is an issue.

[DannyElfman]

Now Angela Merkel will learn what PRISM is.

I tend to think she already knew of the existence of PRISM its all just pretending just like she pretended how furious she was when she learned that the NSA is tapping her phone.

And we all know that her government is in bed with the usa gov

http://rt.com/news/us-drones-germany-ramstein-625/

Yeah I'm sure Merkel must have known of the NSA's blanket surveillance, think she was just giving lip service to the general public.

Would like to get me one of those encrypted phones

She did not know about the NSA spying. She was actually the subject of the spying for some time