Social networks to have address in Switzerland
The Federal Council wants to hold social media platforms accountable. In the future, these platforms will be required to designate a representative or a registered address in Switzerland. The National Council agrees with this proposal.
On Monday, the Upper House of Parliament adopted the motion of Balthasar Glättli (Greens/ZH) by 141 votes to 46 with 4 abstentions. The Federal Council had agreed in advance to accept the motion. In the Council of States, a somewhat broader motion of the Legal Affairs Committee is pending, which the government also recommends to accept. The motion's authors want to ensure that the Swiss authorities have a contact point in Switzerland. Consumers should also be able to turn to this contact point with their complaints.
Furthermore, it is demanded that the Federal Council advocates better law enforcement on the Internet at the international level. The Federal Council considers the current situation problematic, as Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said in the National Council. In her opinion, a delivery domicile or Swiss representation for companies such as Twitter or Facebook would facilitate communication for authorities and consumers in Switzerland. To be sure, this provision could not be enforced any more than the surrender of data stored abroad. However, the Federal Council believes that companies would be more likely to cooperate because the intrusion would be less far-reaching. (SDA)
