German Gov To Drop Verizon Over Spying Concerns

The various Snowden leaks have revealed widespread spying by the United States government, with various tech companies and service providers being compelled to aid in these surveillance practices. It is for this reason the German government has elected to drop Verizon as its ISP of choice.

This information was revealed today by German government officials, with the Interior Ministry's spokesman Tobias Plate saying Verizon has served as ISP for various government entities for years, with the exception of the nation's security agencies.

Germany is said to have been reconsidering its use of Verizon "for some time", according to the Associated Press, but it was the slew of information leaked by Edward Snowden and related concerns that prodded it into action. The NSA's alleged targeting of Chancellor Angela Merkel is said to have also played a role.

The contract presently in place with Verizon ends some time next year, and will not be renewed, officials revealed. As an alternative, Berlin is looking into constructing secure networks in the nation to distance itself from American companies and the spying that may come with them.

SOURCE: Verizon