(de-news.net) – The German Judges Association (DRB) is advocating for enhanced powers for investigators to address serious online crimes. DRB Managing Director Sven Rebehn underscored the necessity for a political reset following the Bundestag elections, which should include the implementation of a legally defined, temporary storage mandate for IP addresses to combat child pornography and other severe offenses. Rebehn highlighted that IP addresses are often the most expedient and sometimes the sole means to trace perpetrators and rescue victims from ongoing peril.

The retention of IP addresses enables authorities to identify which computer accessed specific websites. The coalition government failed to reach a consensus on a model for extended data retention. Instead, the FDP proposed the “Quick Freeze” method, allowing investigators to freeze connection data at telecommunications companies when a serious crime is suspected. The DRB deems this model insufficient, as major telecommunications companies in Germany currently store data inconsistently and for a maximum of seven days. The Quick Freeze method would only permit law enforcement to secure data within this limited timeframe, contingent upon their prompt awareness of the crime.