Developments in Germany are now worrying. Politicians are no longer in control of the situation and are placing a heavy burden on companies.
Switzerland already has some embarrassing politicians. But in the ‘Great Canton in the North’, as Germany is often referred to in this country, the situation is cringeworthily worse.
Officially announced
This became clear again yesterday evening, Wednesday, when the shocking news spread that Germany had actually banned luxury brand Chanel’s YouTube channel.
And it really is true and can be read about in the Federal Trade Register.
Spelling mistake the culprit
The background is that the German officials wanted to ban an Islamic center in Hamburg and accidentally included the luxury brand Chanel.
The ban order against the religious organization also listed all websites and social media channels.
However, the German Ministry of the Interior made one fatal mistake.
Instead of banning the Hamburg association’s YouTube channel, they gave that link with just one “n” by incorrectly misspelling the English word ‘channel’, thereby hitting on the famous perfume and fashion manufacturer Chanel.
Prepare for arbitrary action
According to the German news magazine “Der Spiegel”, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, under the leadership of SPD Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, is already in the process of correcting the error in its Federal Gazette.
However, the case shows that companies now not only have to prepare themselves for fatal industrial policy, but also for arbitrariness on the part of authorities in democracies by means of their decrees.
Causing collateral damage
Just how worrying the situation in Germany has become was again demonstrated at the Federal Press Conference on the same day with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In response to a question from a journalist, the SPD politician indicated that the German government had been very careful in restricting press freedom by means of association law, which muula.ch also reported on, and had not simply banned the right-wing medium “Compact” and its social media presence. Those consequences were ultimately fatal.
However, the same SPD policy then let its diligence slip and accidentally dragged a French luxury company into the bizarre maelstrom in the fight against Islamists in Germany.
Even the YouTube platform itself is getting into trouble – sometimes it’s true, sometimes not.
Light at the end of Tube
The consequences for Chanel are that YouTube must immediately block the link in Germany due to the government gag order. Thankfully, the famous luxury brand will certainly survive this intervention.
But the days of this embarrassing German government are most probably numbered by now.
25.07.2024/kut./ena.
