Rolling danger?

FPÖ warns drivers of “moving bugs”

Car brands collect "far more data than is actually necessary" and would monitor citizens at every turn, according to the FPÖ.(Bild: David Molina Grande, stock.adobe.com)

On Monday, the FPÖ warned against electronic equipment in cars that could be misused to spy on drivers, such as tracking systems, hands-free systems or all-round cameras. Secretary General Christian Hafenecker and FPÖ EU top candidate Harald Vilimsky want legal adaptations.

Hafenecker spoke of "moving bugs". Politicians have the task of protecting citizens from this and legal adaptations are needed.

 "Door and gate for surveillance"
Digitalization in the vehicle sector is progressing, but so is data collection, he said at a press conference held jointly with Vilimsky. Data collection also opens the "door to surveillance" and could subsequently lead to "punishment of the population".

Car brands collect "far more data than is actually necessary" and would monitor citizens at every turn, according to the FPÖ.(Bild: David Molina Grande, stock.adobe.com)

Car brands collect "much more data than is actually necessary". For example, "telemetry and movement data is constantly being sent away from these cars, which means nothing other than that citizens are being monitored at every turn".

"Data misuse scandal in a class of its own"
Vilimsky spoke of a "data misuse scandal in a class of its own" and saw freedom and civil rights under threat. According to Hafenecker, "gigantic data profiles" were being created and in some cases sent on to law enforcement authorities without a court order.

"Traveling bugs, but TikTok ban - nonsense!"
Hafenecker criticized the federal procurement agency in particular, as it is currently ordering more than 600 new vehicles from a Chinese car manufacturer. "The joke of the matter is that federal civil servants have been banned from using Tiktok on their work cell phones, but top civil servants are being put in driving bugs" - "nonsense".

"If the ÖVP and the Greens make such a purchase, then they are the biggest security risk and no one else."