In episode 198 of “Follow the Rechtsstaat”, Prof. Niko Härting and Dr Stefan Brink discuss the planned data retention scheme, data protection breaches involving Snapchat’s AI chatbot “My AI”, and the protection of journalistic sources in the Hamburg “Block” case.
To begin with, the focus is on the renewed attempt to introduce data retention. Prof. Niko Härting reports on the hearing before the Legal Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, at which he presented the German Bar Association’s criticisms of the draft bill. Together with Dr Stefan Brink, he looks back at previous constitutional complaints and the shift in political stance within the SPD.
The two then discuss a ruling by the Cologne Regional Court concerning Snapchat’s AI chatbot ‘My AI’. The court largely upheld a claim brought by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations against Snapchat’s operator, Snap, for data protection breaches.
Finally, the discussion turns to the Hamburg ‘Block’ trial and the seizure of audio recordings from *Die Zeit*. Härting and Brink discuss how such a measure can be reconciled with the protection of journalistic sources and the constitutional provisions on freedom of the press and broadcasting.