German politicians are now turning to typewriters to avert the NSA’s gaze. According to Ars Technica, Patrick Sensburg, chairman of a German parliamentary committee investigating the NSA, made a statement Monday about using typewriters.
“In fact, we already have [a typewriter], and it’s even a non-electronic typewriter,” Sensburg told Ars Technica.
This move comes after the Germans learned in 2013 that the NSA tapped German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone. Suspicious of Verizon, a phone service in a close relationship with the NSA, German politicians already decided not to renew their Verizon contract in June. Now, to facilitate digital security, Germans are going to start using typewriters instead of computers. (RELATED: Hey NSA: Don’t Spy On People, Or They’ll Stop Using Verizon)
“We have to try to keep our internal communication sure to send encrypted e-mails, use crypto phones and other things, and other things that I won’t mention, of course,” Sensburg said.
Germany’s move to typewriters mimics Russia’s recent decision to do the same thing. Since digital hacking is so commonplace and legitimate web security so difficult to come by, it’s no surprise these nations are turning to outdated technology. At least you can’t hack typewriters. (RELATED: So What Is the NSA ALLOWED To Do?)