The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information

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Berlin, 20. March 2024

Press release 3/2024

BfDI presents 32nd Activity Report

On Wednesday, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI), Professor Ulrich Kelber, presented his Activity Report for the year 2023 to the President of the German Bundestag.​

 

Prof. Ulrich Kelber übergibt den 32. Tätigkeitsbericht an Bundestagspräsidentin Bärbel Bas
Source: Deutscher Bundestag - Janine Schmitz - photothek

The BfDI draws a particularly positive conclusion regarding international cooperation:

 „We are creating high data protection standards at a global level. This harmonization is a step forward for citizens’ rights, but also for the economy, which depends on free and trustworthy data traffic. The BfDI's expertise in this area is valued internationally and in high demand.” Prof. Ulrich Kelber

This was already evident last year with the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). With the emergence of the first applications for the general public and the discussions about the European Union's AI Regulation, it became clear once again that artificial intelligence must also be given a framework from a data protection perspective. The BfDI commented: “We have dealt with the topic of AI in the German Data Protection Conference and also in the European Data Protection Board, the Global Privacy Assembly and in the context of the G7 Roundtable of privacy authorities so that we can exploit the opportunities offered by the technology without exposing ourselves to the risks”.

A similar view applies to the urgently needed digitization of the health care system. Here, the BfDI has advised the government intensively on the Health Data Use Act, the Digital Act and the European Health Data Space. In addition, last year the authority highlighted the possibilities and limitations of the planned so-called chat control, the legislation on intelligence services and the modernization of the Federal Police Act.

You can download the BfDI’s 32nd Activity Report as a PDF file.