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In this case, French authorities asked the Swiss government for assistance. However, on 5 September of 2021 the Swiss government forced ProtonMail to hand over IP addresses of French activists charged with theft and destruction of property. Offering some of the strongest privacy protection in the world, their 1993 Federal Act on Data protection strictly prohibits any processing of personal data without explicit consent. Switzerland is renowned for being neutral territory – being outside of US and EU jurisdiction. ProtonMail uses its Swiss location to take advantage of the DPA and DPO acts. Essentially, it prohibits the collection and use of personal data unless the law specifically permits it or you have given your informed consent. Germany may be one of the Fourteen Eyes, but it is protected by The German Federal Data Protection Act – a modification of the general EU GDPR law.
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Tutanota is based in Germany (one of the Fourteen Eyes). Let’s talk about the data laws under which these companies operate.
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