The proposed update to Switzerland’s Ordinance on the Surveillance of Postal and Telecommunications Traffic (VÜPF: Verordnung über die Überwachung des Post- und Fernmeldeverkehrs) represents a significant expansion of state surveillance powers, worse than the surveillance powers of the USA. If enacted, it would have serious consequences for encrypted services such as Threema, an encrypted WhatsApp alternative and Proton Mail as well as VPN providers based in Switzerland.

  • percent@infosec.pub
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    89
    ·
    9 months ago

    This is the first thing I’ve ever disliked about Switzerland (not that I know a lot about the country).

    • themurphy@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      68
      ·
      9 months ago

      There’s a reason every billionair has a bank account in Switzerland.

      And it’s not to pay more taxes. Or to launder less money.

      • jobbies@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        29
        ·
        9 months ago

        What this says is billionaires are entitled to privacy to hoard their $$$ but nobody else is for everyday life.

    • MangoCats@feddit.it
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      9 months ago

      For a more extreme example, look to the Principality of Monaco. Being so much smaller, it can be much more extreme.

  • Bwaz@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    50
    ·
    9 months ago

    Ah, yes. The country that formerly let you have anonymous secret bank accounts.

  • SabinStargem@lemmy.today
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    33
    ·
    9 months ago

    Considering that we might have a World War III or 2nd American Civil War in a decade or two, it would be foolish of Switzerland to not permit encrypted VPN. A stable neutrality is very profitable in a world of uncertainty.

  • Kazel@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    9 months ago

    Wenn die Schweiz dann ein Überwachungsstaat ist kann sie ja auch gleich in die EU eintreten

    • frosch@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      9 months ago

      Wasn’t there an announcement from proton a few days back to possibly move their data Centers out of Switzerland because of this?

    • rozodru@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      9 months ago

      I self host mine. Honestly I just self host as much as I can to avoid stuff like this because while many European companies are great you just never know. I was with Tuta but decided to self host, same for when I was using Filen for backups. Hell I’m even self hosting my git repos and search engine now.

  • katy ✨@piefed.blahaj.zone
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    9 months ago

    switzerland was never a utopia for anybody except corporations, billionaires, and nazis. their “neutrality” was nothing more than an excuse for unregulated capitalism.

  • bigFab@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    9 months ago

    “In a democracy, the right way is to argue, not threaten to leave.” Socialist member of parliament said.

    Does this man understand the very first day this law would approve Proton is dead? Do politicians understand privacy at all?

  • callouscomic@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    9 months ago

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    Everything goes to shit.

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    Switch to Proton Switch to Proton Switch to Proton Switch to Proton Switch to Proton Switch to Proton

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    Its always the next thing, and the next thing and the next thing. What’s the new proton everyone will annoy the fuck out of us with?

    This is why I stopped giving a shit. Actually. I do give a shit. I will let them surveil all of my shits, and garbage, and vomit.

  • philpo@feddit.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    9 months ago

    Switzerland never had solid privacy laws - and is known for intelligence service overreach for decades.

    They had a Stasi like system of “who to imprison” when “the time comes”.

    They listen to all IP traffic in and out the country - which is concerning in times of traffic pattern analysis. And they are known for their close cooperation with US intelligence services.

    Protons (and Threemas) claim of “soo good swiss privacy laws” is nothing more than swiss-washing. And they know it.

    Proton has already given away data of its customers (climate activists) to the swiss authorities. And only talked about it when the press got onto it.