In focus

This year's BvD Autumn Conference and the subsequent Authorities Day have once again shown how crucial the exchange and networking within the data protection community is. The title of the conference "Regulatory tsunami: Keeping an overview with security" could not have been more fitting.

The BvD Autumn Conference discusses data security and EU data regulation. Data protection and data security: in times of a growing number of cyberattacks, the two topics can no longer be separated. This became clear once again at the BvD Autumn Conference and the subsequent Authorities Day from October 16 to 18 in Stuttgart. Among ... BvD News Winter 2024

BvD News documents below the video message of the EU Data Protection Supervisor at the BvD Autumn Conference 2024 according to his speech script. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, Dear data protection professionals, First of all, I would like to thank you for the invitation. It is a pleasure for me to take part in ... BvD News Winter 2024

Data protection officers discussed digitalization, social media and Microsoft at the BvD Authorities Day. AI and the AI Regulation are becoming a hot topic in administration. With increasing digitalization, authorities, municipalities and other public institutions are using AI applications to simplify application and approval procedures or provide translations quickly, for example. In Baden-Württemberg, the police ... BvD News Winter 2024

For years, cloud computing has been understood, not only in Germany, as a form of providing shared and flexibly scalable IT services using IT resources that are not permanently allocated. Cloud services were purchased as part of outsourcing projects, for example to operate an application in an external data center at a service provider and ... BvD News Winter 2024

Requirements and possibilities for fair data exchange – an assessment of the current status. On October 17, 2024, the Bundestag debated the Federal Government’s draft bill “on the implementation of the EU Regulation on European data governance” for the first time, only to then refer the bill to the committees for further discussion, with the ... BvD News Winter 2024

The question of whether the level of IT security can be lowered by consent is a recurring debate in Germany, even under the “old” Federal Data Protection Act. The prevailing literature is of the opinion that Art. 32 GDPR is not disposable or waivable. However, this also indicates that there are also differing views. In ... BvD News Winter 2024

I. Introduction The European Union’s AI Act represents a pioneering legislative effort to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Europe. As part of a larger legislative framework, it aims to address the expected widespread adoption of AI technologies, which could significantly transform various sectors, including healthcare, education and business. The AI Act is designed to coexist ... BvD News Winter 2024

Dealing with cyberattacks in municipalities. Cyberattacks pose a growing threat to local authorities. The effects of such attacks can be devastating and significantly impair the functionality of the administration. This article examines the various aspects of IT crisis management in local authorities, from the technical impact and crisis prevention to crisis response and preparation. The ... BvD News Winter 2024

The tension between publishing research data as transparently and completely as possible in the interests of scientific research and protecting the data subject in the interests of data protection raises the question: “How can personal research data be published as completely and transparently as possible while still complying with data protection regulations?”. 1. problem definition ... BvD News Winter 2024

In the business and legal world, adaptation to digital technologies is inevitable. This is clearly reflected in the evolution of formal requirements, where the written form is increasingly being supplemented or replaced by electronic alternatives. This text discusses the legal framework and the various forms of signing in accordance with German law and European legislation, ... BvD News Winter 2024

Denis Lehmkemper has been Lower Saxony's State Commissioner for Data Protection since September 15, 2023. In July of this year, a group of experts on the topic of AI, which he convened himself, began its work. BvD-News spoke to the lawyer about the goals of the advisory body, his position on Microsoft Teams and the still pending Employee Data Protection Act.

Current issues and key tasks of the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) The article describes the role of the EDPS on the basis of the EU GDPR and focuses on the Microsoft 365 investigation into use in EU institutions, in which the EDPS uncovered data protection violations. The text also addresses the growing challenges posed ... BvD News Winter 2024

The Data Protection Foundation and the BvD have jointly developed an accredited certification for data protection officers in Germany. Both data protection officers who need transparent proof of their expertise and companies looking for a qualified data protection officer can benefit from this. The certification will be launched in 2025. It is sometimes difficult for ... BvD News Winter 2024

New system for “Data protection goes to school” opens the way for more lecturers There is a great need in schools for more knowledge about data protection. And although there are many members of the BvD who want to volunteer in this area, the match between supply and demand is not always perfect. This is ... BvD News Winter 2024

The field of artificial intelligence is developing rapidly. The topic is also currently coming to the fore at the BvD congresses (see the BvD Autumn Conference and Authorities Day report from page 7 of this issue). With “AI-qualified (BvD)”, the BvD has been offering a training course since the fall that includes a series of ... BvD News Winter 2024

The book “Das Recht der Daten im Kontext der Digitalen Ethik” from the series “Daten – Recht – Digitale Ethik” combines data protection law with data security and digital ethics in a holistic approach. In the first part, entitled “Orientation for digitality”, Tobias O. Keber sets out the connection in his article Compass for the ... BvD News Winter 2024

Some will ask themselves the question: How can I become familiar with the EU AI Act (EU 2024/1689) and gain expertise that I urgently need in my consulting practice because the demands from clients or my employer are increasing? The answer is not easy, because the subject matter is complex and requires a certain amount ... BvD News Winter 2024