October



CMS.DataEngine.CollectionPropertyWrapper`1[CMS.DataEngine.BaseInfo]
Profile Image Verifile
October 28, 2013
Blog Article Image

EU Needs 'German Standards' on Data Privacy

"In response to the recent disclosures of the U.S. National Security Agency surveillance programmes, German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said EU data privacy rules should be as strict as those found in Germany. ""High German data protection standards should be the rule,"" she said. ""U.S. companies that do not uphold these standards should be banned from the European market."" Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, who has strongly criticized the scope of the U.S.' spying programme, noted that it should not be intelligence services that set the standards for data protection but rather ""citizens' basic rights."" The EU is currently updating its data privacy legislation with the draft rules under scrutiny in the European Parliament. ""If a European data security sphere is to be created, then it needs stronger parliamentary control over secret services and regular, intensive information exchanges between supervisory committees,"" said Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger. In Germany, where data privacy is highly valued, the issue has moved onto the political agenda ahead of elections in September."

Read More
CMS.DataEngine.CollectionPropertyWrapper`1[CMS.DataEngine.BaseInfo]
Profile Image Verifile
October 28, 2013
Blog Article Image

BACKGROUND SCREENING

"Job Interviews in Germany: No Right to Ask Applicants About Preliminary Investigations by Public Prosecution Office. The German Federal Labor Court recently passed a decision that dealt with what questions employers can and cannot ask in interviews with job applicants. Employers are entitled to ask job applicants questions as long and to the extent they have a ""legitimate interest worth of approval and protection"" in the response to such questions. It is required that the interest of the employer to obtain the requested information outweighs the interest of the employee to protect his personal privacy. By applying German data protection law, the Court ruled that companies do not have any legitimate interest to know about preliminary investigations that do not lead to criminal conviction. The new decision is another example for the growing sensibility among the German labor courts regarding the collection and use of personal data of employees, during the employment, but also prior to an employment. Respective limitations are not only prescribed by the courts with regard to the collection of personal data during interviews, they are also discussed with regard to the collection of personal data in publicly available Social Media platforms, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Companies are requested to carefully consider what information is in fact needed for the concrete position prior to entering into interviews with their candidates."

Read More
CMS.DataEngine.CollectionPropertyWrapper`1[CMS.DataEngine.BaseInfo]
Profile Image Verifile
October 28, 2013
Blog Article Image

Consultation on the Conducting Privacy Impact Assessments Code of Practice ??

The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has published a consultation on a new privacy impact assessment (PIA) code of practice and released a study on PIA and risk management. The ICO first announced the study, conducted by Trilateral Research & Consulting, was underway back in January. The new code of practice on conducting privacy impact assessments (PIAs) is intended to replace the current PIA Handbook. The aim of the new code is to produce a practical guide, which will help organisations conduct assessments of new projects that involve the use of personal information. The code explains the key principles behind a PIA and suggests how a PIA can be integrated with an organisation's project and risk management processes. The closing date for the consultation is 5 November 2013.

Read More