German Government Is Using Typewriters To Avoid The NSA’s Gaze

German Government Is Using Typewriters To Avoid The NSA’s Gaze

Germany hasn’t been best pleased by the NSA’s attention over the last few years. Now, though, it’s revealed that it’s taking drastic action, and ditching computers in favour of something more secure: typewriters.

Speaking on German TV, Patrick Sensburg, chairman of the German parliament’s National Security Agency investigative committee, explained that he was taking operational security “very seriously”. He added that “in fact, we already have [a typewriter], and it’s even a non-electronic typewriter.”

It’s not all backwards looking, though: the government is also clamping down on smartphone use, encouraging encryption and making sure that phones are audited. “We have to try to keep our internal communication sure to send encrypted emails, use crypto phones and other things, and other things that I won’t mention, of course,” explained Sensburg. Presumably he’s referring to strings and cups. [Moma via Ars Technica]

Picture: Cody Geary/Flickr


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