However, the new effort to create a secure internet network in Germany faces significant challenges, especially after recent reports of Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone being monitored. Experts say it may not be effective for websites hosted abroad, such as Facebook or Google, and could struggle to gain support from other broadband providers. Additionally, the initiative goes against the current structure of the internet, which operates globally without regard for national borders. This could potentially lead to a fragmented internet, impacting its openness and efficiency, according to security researcher Dan Kaminsky. In countries like China and Iran, governments control internet traffic by using firewalls to block websites like Facebook and Twitter. Professor Torsten Gerpott from the University of Duisburg-Essen stated that it is unprecedented for internet traffic from a developed country to bypass servers in another country. Deutsche Telekom, partly owned by the government, has launched a project to provide customers with more options and has also introduced an email encryption service called "E-mail made in Germany." Government surveillance is a touchy issue in Germany due to strict privacy laws and memories of past eavesdropping by the Stasi secret police. Chancellor Merkel has called for a "no-spying" agreement with the US and France by the end of the year. However, experts believe that the practical impact of Deutsche Telekom's project may not align with the rhetoric, as most of Germany's internet traffic already remains within the country's borders. Additionally, Deutsche Telekom's payment preference for carrying traffic to end users clashes with the goal of keeping traffic within Germany. According to Thomas Kremer, the executive responsible for data privacy and legal matters at a German operator, German internet traffic passing through London or Amsterdam could be intercepted by foreign spies, potentially at a cheaper or no cost. To address this issue, the group is working on signing connection agreements with three more operators to establish a national routing system. Kremer suggested that if necessary, a legislative solution could be considered. He emphasized that traffic within the Schengen area or Germany should not be routed through other countries. Telefonica Germany is currently in early talks with other groups regarding national routing. A spokesperson from Vodafone stated that they are currently assessing the possibility of implementing the proposal from Deutsche Telekom. Despite Deutsche Telekom's claim to be a reliable protector of user data, their history with privacy is inconsistent. In a scandal in 2008 known as Telekomgate, Klaus Trzeschan, a security manager at the company, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his involvement in monitoring phone conversations of the company's executives, board members, and journalists. A spokesperson for Deutsche Telekom acknowledged this incident as a driving force behind their recent focus on privacy and security measures. They emphasized that the company is now seen as a leader in the industry in terms of customer trust. Data centers are essential for directing online traffic, but popular online services do not prioritize location based on customer proximity. Instead, companies choose data center locations based on factors like cheap power, cool climates, and high-speed broadband networks. For instance, a Munich resident chatting with a friend in Berlin on Facebook may have their data travel through one of the company's large data centers thousands of kilometers away. European users' profiles may not be stored in the same data center, as different functions are distributed among various centers for efficiency. Similarly, Google's Gmail may route emails between German residents through data centers in Finland, Belgium, or Ireland. The only way to make this change would be for Germany to mandate that websites be hosted locally, a drastic step that experts say has not yet been supported by German leaders. Deutsche Telekom has not confirmed whether they will advocate for this approach. Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, who was upset by reports of U.S. spying, is working on legislation that would require internet companies like Google and Facebook to keep data gathered from users inside the country. One possible solution is for European leaders to strengthen a new data-privacy law that has been in progress for almost two years. The European Parliament approved a stricter version of the law on Monday, but it still needs to be approved by member states. France and Germany could potentially be successful in convincing member states to accelerate discussions in order to finalize the new data regulations by 2015, according to Kremer from Deutsche Telekom. He believes that the new law could be beneficial in ensuring that customers are able to freely use any web services globally, while also prioritizing safety measures.