Austria Implements Messaging Surveillance Plan to Combat Terrorism

Austria's coalition government has unveiled a new plan to permit the monitoring of secure messaging platforms to prevent potential militant attacks. This move addresses what officials describe as a critical blind spot in the country's intelligence capabilities.

Currently, Austria lacks a formal legal framework for supervising messaging services like WhatsApp. As a result, domestic intelligence and police have had to rely on allies such as Britain and the United States to provide alerts on security threats. One such alert led to the disruption of a planned attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna last year.

The new legislation requires a three-judge panel to authorize monitoring, intended for only around 25-30 cases annually. Reports to Parliament are mandatory for figures exceeding 30 to curb excessive surveillance. The policy, expected to roll out by 2027, seeks to balance security with privacy concerns.

(With inputs from agencies.)