DVD profile

Founded in 1977 the German Privacy Association (DVD) represents interests of citizens as data subjects as a nonprofit association.

Our assessment:

Even over thirty years after census judgement via Federal Constitutional Court (the „right to informational self-determination“) and longtime after Orwell’s pathbreaking novel „1984“, privacy is still no self-evident and unassailable civil right.

Conversely, it appears that inserting informational technology in a massive and closely linked way functions as a cure-all when it comes to clarifying social issues.

The individual’s personal right frequently is supposed to step behind putative security interest; we are perceiving this fact as a threat to our basic democratic values.

DVD’s assignments and fields of activity:

The DVD is less aiming at revealing data scandals but gives priority to enlighten and to give people advice concerning the risk in using electronic data processing
and the possible restriction of their right to informational self-determination.

Textually, we are dealing with various interrogations such as privacy concering police and justice, employee data protection, consumer privacy and internet
privacy; just to mention a few.

Throughout several activities we want to reach different person groups, i.a. via

• medial and public relations work in current issues, press conferences and press statements
• publication of privacy protection news („Datenschutznachrichten“, „DANA“)
• participating in parliamental expert hearings relating to general and area specific data protection acts in the Federal Government and in the Federal States
• attendance in public events and debates
• holding meetings in cooperation with partner organizations
• assisting the annual Big Brother Award
• hosting seminars, i.e. for Works Councils or Staff Council
• mediating speakers who report current privacy issues
• cooperating with partner organizations