How many spy agencies does a nation need? Do we really need to spy on our own citizens?
The Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV) is basically Germany’s equivalent of the USA’s Department of Homeland Security.
The BfV is putting people on “watchlists” for posting (journalistic) articles or posting social media content that questions the German government. So beware if you have been classified as a “state de-legitimizer”. In 2021, they expanded from just monitoring “extremists” to vague wording permitting them to observe (spy on) any individual person.
A wonderful private journalist, Ava Velaquez (yes not the typical name you expect of a German journalist) found out that she is being monitored for an article she wrote and a social media post she made.
Should we be afraid of being “monitored” or is that just good normal activity of Big Brother?
In my opinion, funding spying is far better than funding war. But it’s essential that we don’t become so over zealous in spying that innocent people get caught up in the system. Also we can’t accept the system using this as a way to suppress political disagreements.
Gesundheit! 🤧