Federal Police: Coalition OKs AI real-time tracking & state trojans

The Bundestag is facing a turning point in internal security and digital civil rights. After a long debate, the Federal Police Act, which largely dates back to 1994, is to be revised. The Interior Committee has already approved the Federal Government's draft bill in an amended version. The CDU/CSU and SPD pushed the reform through against the votes of the Greens and the Left Party, with the AfD abstaining. This clears the way for the final debate in the Bundestag on Friday.

Short-term change

A last-minute amendment by the coalition is particularly controversial. With the new Paragraph 31b, a legal basis for real-time biometric detection is being created. In the future, the Federal Police will be allowed to compare live camera images automatically at train stations, airports, and other border areas with the biometric data of wanted persons using artificial intelligence.

This is supplemented by another paragraph on automated threat detection, which enables the digital analysis of movement and object patterns as well as locations.

Civil rights activists see this as a significant expansion of state surveillance and warn of the introduction of a surveillance infrastructure. The Federal Ministry of the Interior defends the amendment it initiated as a necessary adaptation to modern forms of crime.

Green light for state trojans

The digital investigation powers of the Federal Police are also to be expanded. In the future, it will be allowed to use state trojans for source telecommunications surveillance (TKÜ), which the traffic light coalition had previously ruled out. This allows encrypted messages to be read directly on the affected persons' end devices before or after encryption.

At the same time, the authority receives extensive powers to collect inventory, usage, and traffic data, as well as to identify and locate mobile phone cards and end devices. The government emphasizes that the regulations have been adapted to the requirements of the Federal Constitutional Court. Critics nevertheless consider the infringements on fundamental rights to be disproportionate.

The reform also modernizes the physical arsenal of the Federal Police. In the future, drones may be used as mobile sensor carriers for image and sound recordings. At the same time, technical means for defending against such flying objects will be permitted.

Furthermore, the Federal Police will receive new powers in the areas of migration and everyday checks. In the future, it can apply for deportation detention itself to prevent individuals who are obliged to leave the country without a tolerated stay from going into hiding.

(wpl)