Towards New Ethics in Information Society

1. Towards New Ethics inInformation Society 1. New Technological Trends 2. The State‘s ideas for an all-embracing Security 3. The Business Sector’s hunger for Data 4. New Ethics in Information Society

2. 1. New Technological Trends 1. New Technological Trends • Ubiquitous computing – the omnipresence of digitisation in daily life • “Web 2.0” and the threats to informational self-determination • Loss of unobserved areas for individual conduct of life

3. 1. New Technological Trends • Logging of IP-addresses • RFID-Chips • Combination of GPS- und GSM-techniques (georeferencing) • Biometrical data in ID documents • Automated readout of car number plates • Video surveillance • Credit, loyalty and bonus cards

4. 2. The State‘s ideas for an all-embracing Security 2. The State‘s ideas for anall-embracing Security • Dangers for informational self-determination by way of unclear crosslinkings • Hard to determine which information is collected and processed • Surveillance is capable of limiting individual freedoms

5. 2. The State‘s ideas for an all-embracing Security • Danger of the development of a “monolithic society” through close social control • Fear of the individual not to comply with the required behaviour • Telecommunications data retention and online investigations touch the personal data of many innocent citizens

6. 2. The State‘s ideas for an all-embracing Security • Besides the call for closer surveillance tackling the roots of crime and terrorism must not be forgotten • With sensitive data having once been collected, desires for access to this data will grow in other areas (e.g. in financial administration)

7. 3. The Business Sector’s Hunger for Data 3. The Business Sector’s Hunger for Data • Databases are certainly helpful to the economy in many areas • Scoring is a method of minimising economic risks • For the consumer scoring may lead to disadvantageous credit and payment conditions

8. 3. The Business Sector’s Hunger for Data • The human being is reduced to a mere score value • Scoring has a discriminatory effect • The person concerned will usually be unable to determine on which basis and by way of which methods his score value is calculated

9. 3. The Business Sector’s Hunger for Data • „Pay as you drive“ car insurance using „data event recorders“ • IPTV – Monitoring of TV consumption through two-way communication • Search engines – iGoogle will save user data in order to be able to make predictions on a user’s behaviour

10. 4. New Ethics in Information Society 4. New Ethics in Information Society • Existing data protection legislations and the want for adequate answers to current data protection risks • Provisions are convoluted • However, we seem to be unable to live without the new possibilities in technology

11. 4. New Ethics in Information Society • Do we have to tolerate these infringements of our privacy? • We need a new ethics of self-restraint! • Not everything which is technically possible should be implemented.

12. 4. New Ethics in Information Society • Designing the various data systems should entail taking into consideration any consequences for data protection • The requirement of processing only data which is necessary should be fulfilled effectively • The score value of a person must not become the sole criterion for evaluation

13. 4. New Ethics in Information Society • Total surveillance of all areas of daily life should be avoided • In consequence: Together we should campaign for a new ethics in information society!

14. Thank you very much for your attention Peter Schaar The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Husarenstraße 30 D - 53117 Bonn Tel.: +49 (0) 228-81995-0 Fax: +49 (0) 228-81995-550 E-Mail: poststelle@bfdi.bund.de | Internet: www.bfdi.bund.de