Police to get more power to search social media
The Dutch cabinet has approved a proposal to grant police more authority to collect information from public sections of social media and other online platforms, RTL reports. Authorities say the change is intended to enable earlier intervention in situations that could escalate into public unrest, such as riots.
Under current law, police can view publicly available information online, but they cannot store or process it. The proposed legislation would permit the collection of personal data from public accounts, as reported by the Ministry of Justice and Security.
Justice and Security Minister David van Weel said many riots and demonstrations that spiral out of control start online. He pointed specifically to the Malieveld riots in September last year, when a protest against asylum policy escalated into violent clashes in The Hague, including attacks on police and the D66 party office.
Van Weel described the current limitations as frustrating for law enforcement. He added that the measure would ensure that “the police are brought into the 21st century.”
The proposal does not extend to private or closed online groups. However, the cabinet has indicated it intends to explore that possibility in the future.
