Germany’s Bundestag passed its new registration law in just 57 seconds – as deputies rushed off to watch the national side play football against Italy. But it could undermine Germans’ right to privacy for years to come. ­Now, every single time a German moves to a new home, and gives the local authorities his address (as he is legally obliged to) as long as he does not explicitly forbid them... 

Facebook’s ubiquitous ‘like’ button found on countless websites accessible in Germany was declared in violation of the country’s strict privacy laws by a state data protection official on Friday. Thilo Weichert, who works for the data protection centre of the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, said the social network’s application allowing internet users to express their appreciation...