Warning someone of a Swiss speed check via Facebook or other social network could still be illegal.
© Dragan Zdravkovic | Dreamstime
People should still think twice before doing this. A warning is allowed under Swiss law if it is not public. But the law does not define public. A recent case in Saint Gallen demonstrates the lack of clarity. In this case, at least one person was fined CHF 850 for sending a warning on WhatsApp.
According to 20 Minutes, Parliamentarian Christian Imark, from the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), suggested changing the law to make it clear. His motion called for a legal definition of private and for such communication to be beyond sanction.
The Federal Council is against the idea. It thinks the courts should decide on a case by case basis.
This means warnings to some private groups on social media could still be deemed illegal by the courts. This includes warnings on WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Waze and other applications.
There is also the potential issue of messaging while driving.
More on this:
20 Minutes article (in French) - Take a 5 minute French test now
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
