The chancellor’s short message: What will happen to Merkel’s cell phone?

Monday 8 November 2021

Advisor SMS
What will happen to Merkel’s cell phone?

From Philip Sandman

The counselor’s mobile phone contains somewhat sensitive data. However, the question of what actually happens to the device and the content after the end of their service life has not been clarified.

In political Berlin, it is no secret that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone has been and remains an integral part of her government’s affairs. To put it in a somewhat exaggerated way, one might say: The chancellor has also ruled via SMS for the past few years.

This is not unusual nowadays. But it also carries risks, precisely because Merkel is communicating with an unencrypted smartphone. And in 2013, it was revealed that the NSA had spied on the counselor’s cell phone.

Angela Merkel’s term ends now. In a few weeks, she won’t be a federal chancellor, but a (almost) ordinary citizen. But what will happen to your cell phone next? After all, the device contains text messages, emails and correspondence from heads of government, some of which contain sensitive content. Could the counselor simply take these treasures home with her?

Guidance from 2001

The Federal Chancellery gave a rather vague answer to this important question in pleasant formal German. A spokesperson told ntv that the information in the chancellery “if it is relevant to the processing of content for an administrative process” is “processed in an appropriate form in accordance with the registration guidelines”. This happens regardless of whether the counselor is on the phone, talking to someone in person, or communicating via SMS.

But what exactly does that mean? On the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior there is at least an explanation of “Registration Policy”. To put it succinctly: This is a guide for all federal ministries to address digital operations – by the way, according to BMI, the guide has not been updated since July 11, 2001.

But the real problem: this “registration guide” obviously doesn’t work with politicians’ cell phones. These show previous cases such as those of Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) or former Federal Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen (CDU). Both the Commission for the Investigation of Fees and the Commission for the Investigation of the Alleged Counsellor’s case abruptly and irreparably deleted the important cell phone data of the Minister and the Minister.

A certain strategy for fogging

Green politician and digital expert Konstantin von Knotts assesses the answer from the Federal Chancellery as follows: “I think you can see a certain obfuscation strategy in this answer and the fact that there is no clear regulation.” This is a problem that has long been pointed out by the opposition (which still is).

Above all, it is difficult that private life and professional life are almost inseparable. That’s why von Notes says: “Members of government will not be able to avoid having two cell phones. One for private communication and one for official communication. It can also be clearly regulated by law.”

In addition, transparent and clear processes for making relevant decisions for the country are needed: “This is only possible if such things are recorded, codified and archived.” In any case, Germany has “clear and serious IT security problems,” says the green politician.

Regarding Merkel’s cell phone, von Notes demands the following: “Relevant data that is not of a private nature must remain here, it must remain available, it must be processed and it cannot be done as it pleases.”