A secure democratic Net is a fundamental right

We have an extreme right party in Belgium, Vlaams Belang, which is now best known for its internal fractions and fights. The ex-president was rumoured to have an affair with one elected official (Moreels) but there was no proof to the pudding. But Knack - which is becoming more and more a real investigative weekly (keep it coming - maybe the newspapers will find their courage back...) - published some emails that would prove otherwise.

Some problems with that. If it are private emails between private individuals than there is a big legal problem in even receiving them. In fact they are stolen goods, even if it is digital. I hope they have a disclaimer put on it (even if you don't believe them, they are very handy in these cases because if you had mentioned in it that you can't publish them without prior agreement the press couldn't publish them).

Another problem is that both are saying that the emails have been altered. There is no way to proof that or to disqualify that. First you need to see the original copy in a system that archives emails so they can't be altered (and if somebody shows you that without prior agreement than there are some privacy problems) and secondly you have to see the different systems and hands the mail has gone through to know where it could have been altered.

Time to distrust emails at the rate that they are being used here in conflicts in the police force, banks and now political parties.

THe one advice I always give is that email should be treated as an official letter. DO NOT write things that you wouldn't write in an official letter. And as with an official letter, take your time to respond.

By the way, people seem to be very curious because knack.be is down