However, the new initiative, prompted by Germany's revelation that Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone had been monitored, may struggle to succeed as it faces numerous obstacles. It would not be effective for Germans accessing websites hosted on foreign servers like Facebook or Google. Additionally, Deutsche Telekom may struggle to gain support from rival broadband groups who are hesitant to share network information. Furthermore, the initiative goes against the current structure of the Internet where global traffic flows freely between networks without regard for national borders. If more countries isolate themselves, it could lead to a problematic fragmentation of the Internet, jeopardizing its openness and efficiency that have driven economic growth. In countries like China and Iran, governments use controls to restrict internet traffic by setting up firewalls and blocking social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. According to Torsten Gerpott, a professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen, it is unusual for the internet traffic of a developed country to bypass another country's servers. Deutsche Telekom, partially owned by the government, has received support for its efforts to provide customers with more choices, including a new email encryption service that routes traffic only through domestic servers. Government surveillance is a sensitive issue in Germany due to its strict privacy laws and the history of eavesdropping by the Stasi secret police in the former East Germany. Chancellor Merkel has called for the US to agree to a "no-spying" deal with Berlin and Paris by the end of the year. However, experts believe that the rhetoric surrounding the issue may not lead to significant practical changes, as the majority of Germany's internet traffic already stays within its borders. Additionally, some experts have raised concerns about Deutsche Telekom's approach to internet traffic, which may conflict with efforts to keep data within Germany. German internet traffic passing through London or Amsterdam could be intercepted by foreign spies, potentially costing less or being free. Thomas Kremer, the executive overseeing data privacy and legal matters for the German operator, mentioned the need for connection agreements with three more operators to enable national routing. If this doesn't happen, Kremer suggested a legislative solution might be necessary. He emphasized that traffic between senders and receivers in the Schengen area or Germany should not be routed through other countries. Telefonica Germany is currently in initial talks with other groups about national routing. A Vodafone spokesperson stated that they are currently assessing the Deutsche Telekom proposal to determine how it could be implemented. Despite presenting itself as a reliable protector of user data, Deutsche Telekom has a mixed track record on privacy. 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 monitoring phone calls of the company's executives, board members, and journalists. A Deutsche Telekom spokesperson mentioned that this incident prompted the company to prioritize privacy and security measures in recent years, claiming that they are now the industry leader in terms of customer trust. Data centers are essential for online services to function smoothly. While routers and switches can control the flow of data, popular web companies do not prioritize location when selecting data center sites. Factors like cheap power, cool climates, and high-speed broadband networks play a bigger role in decision-making. For example, a Munich resident using Facebook to chat with a friend in Berlin may have their data routed through a data center thousands of kilometers away. European users' profiles may not be stored in the same data center where their activities are processed for efficiency. Similarly, emails sent through Google's Gmail service may be routed through different data centers in various countries. The only way to bring about this change would be for Germany to mandate that websites be hosted locally, a significant measure that has not yet been advocated by German leaders, according to experts. Deutsche Telekom did not confirm if it would support this approach. In response to reports of U.S. spying, Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff is pushing for legislation that would require internet companies like Google and Facebook to store data collected in the country. One possible solution is for European leaders to strengthen a data-privacy law that has been in development for nearly two years. The European Parliament recently endorsed a tougher version of the law on Monday, but it still needs approval from member states. France and Germany could potentially convince member states to advance discussions in order to finalize the new data regulations by 2015. According to Kremer from Deutsche Telekom, the new law has the potential to ensure that customers are able to freely access any online services globally while also enhancing safety measures.