Berlin's new surveillance law sparks outrage over transparency and privacy risks
Berlin's governing coalition has pushed through controversial changes to expand video surveillance and restrict public access to information. The new law, backed by the CDU and SPD, targets critical infrastructure but has drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians, data protection experts, and civil society groups.
The amendments follow months of debate after repeated attacks on the city's power grid raised security concerns.
The original proposal sought to increase video surveillance at key sites like energy and transport hubs. Politicians such as Franziska Giffey (SPD) and Kai Wegner (CDU) argued for more cameras—including covert ones—to prevent further attacks. But critics, including Berlin's Data Protection Commissioner Meike Kamp, warned that the plans would severely limit transparency and clash with EU privacy rules.
After backlash, the coalition softened two parts of the draft: surveillance at public swimming pools was scaled back, and the threat of legal action was removed as a reason to block information requests. Yet the final law still introduces ten new exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act (IFG), letting authorities refuse requests in sectors like telecommunications, energy, and transport.
Opposition lawmakers and experts condemned the rushed process. Johannes Rundfeldt of the AG Kritis expert group called the law ineffective, stating it had 'nothing to do with supply security'. Jan-David Franke of Wikimedia Deutschland described it as a 'disastrous signal' that weakens oversight of government actions. Meanwhile, Matthias Hundt, Berlin's new Secretary of State for Digitalization, faced criticism during his first appearance before the Committee on Digitalization and Data Protection.
The motion passed with the coalition's majority, despite ongoing concerns about its impact on civil liberties and accountability.
The law now allows broader surveillance at critical sites while making it harder for the public to access official records. Authorities can reject more requests in key industries, reducing transparency. Critics continue to question whether the measures will improve security or simply limit oversight.
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