Public service Privacy is often underestimated in digitization projects

The importance of privacy protection, the principle of publicity and the rule of law is often underestimated in digitization projects. Data Protection Commissioner Adrian Lobsiger notes this using the example of the planned linking of cantonal police systems.

Insufficiently justified encroachments on the privacy of those affected could put the brakes on projects, warns Federal Data Protection Commissioner (Edöb) Lobsiger. On Tuesday, he presented his latest activity report to the media in Bern.

As an example, he cites the planned national linking of cantonal police systems via a central query platform. This is urgent. However, it is unclear which cantonal citizens' data the federal police authorities should have access to. It is also unclear what the federal government's involvement in the project will be.

It is also unclear when the federal government intends to introduce which legislative projects. Lobsiger expects the federal government to develop a plan that makes it possible to assess the legal implications and risks for the protection of the public's privacy.