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Data protection

Data protection rules put in place by the European Union aim to give people control over the use and storage of their personal data.

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All Content on this topic

Rumänien Enigma-Maschine in Auktionshaus

It takes more than computers to crack ciphers

We use ciphers to keep secrets secret. To crack ciphers you need math, psychology, computers, brains, and a lot of luck.
ScienceJuly 28, 2017
Schweden Stockholm Stefan Lofven

Swedish defense minister under fire over IT leak

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has replaced two cabinet members over an IT scandal.
PoliticsJuly 27, 2017
external

Chip implant replaces ID card at US company

A US company is offering to implant microchips in employees' hands to replace ID cards
BusinessJuly 26, 201701:20 min
WhatsApp

German police set to hack WhatsApp messages

Germany's security forces will be able to install surveillance software on cellphones before the end of the year.
Law and JusticeJuly 25, 2017
external

The End of Privacy

hosted by Deutsche Welle
July 18, 201752:27 min
Person films video on smartphone

Police ask people to stop filming suicide attempts

German police are sick of people filming others in vulnerable situations and warn they face up to two years in jail.
CrimeJune 29, 2017
Schweiz - Überwachungskameras

German surveillance laws explained

Germany has passed an unprecedented spate of new surveillance and security laws. DW looks at the most important ones.
PoliticsJune 26, 2017
Türkei Erdogan auf Bildschirm

Fighting internet censorship 'an ongoing race'

A group of international broadcasters, including DW, has launched a site to help global users bypass online censorship.
PoliticsJune 24, 2017
BMW Connected Drive - Digitalisierung des Autos

'Users have control over the data'

The future for cars is digital. But how secure is the data? DW spoke with Dieter May, the head of digital at BMW.
BusinessJune 21, 2017
Symbolbild Datenschutz

'198 million US voter records leaked'

Masses of personal details on voters were collected ahead of 2016 US elections, a security firm says.
TechnologyJune 19, 2017
Deutschland Bochum - Digitale Gesichtserkennung bei der Ruhruniversität

German police test biometric surveillance

Police are recruiting subjects to test facial recognition systems at a Berlin train station.
PoliticsJune 19, 2017
Japan Protest gegen Anti-Terror-Gesetz in Tokio

'Handcuffs on democracy'

The government claims legislation is needed to ensure the security of the public during the Tokyo Olympic Games.
PoliticsJune 16, 2017
Japan Wahlen Oberhaus Parlamentsgebäude in Tokio

Japan anti-terror law prompts protests

Japan’s parliament approves an anti-terror law that opponents say will trample on individual privacy and protest rights.
PoliticsJune 15, 2017
Bahnfahrt Symbolbild

Chipping the Swedes

Travelers on Swedish trains can now pay for tickets via microchip implants.
BusinessJune 12, 201701:41 min
Symbolbild Überwachungskamera

Ads just for you

You already get them on Amazon and Facebook. Now personalized ads are coming to supermarkets and the post office.
SocietyJune 6, 2017
Facebook unter der Lupe

Berlin court rules for Facebook over grieving parents

Facebook was right to reject mother access to dead daughter's account, a German court has ruled.
Law and JusticeMay 31, 2017
Symbolbild Radiointerview

Germany to test speech recognition tech on refugees

German authorities could have identified Islamist and far-right terror suspects earlier, a newspaper has alleged.
PoliticsMay 26, 2017
Symbolbild Datenschutz

A German Internet Institute: What will it be?

A German Internet Institute is to study the effects of digitalization on society and feed that back into the loop.
ScienceMay 22, 2017
Deutschland Freibad

No running, no pets, no selfies

Many German public pools have long banned photography. With the influx of phone cameras, some are upping the ante.
SocietyMay 17, 2017
Social Media - Facebook

France fines Facebook

Facebook is penalized for failing to prevent its users' data from being accessed by advertisers.
BusinessMay 16, 2017
Symbolbild Cyberattacke

A bitcoin how-to for hapless hackers

If you were a wannabe hacker, here's how you'd use bitcoin to hold internet users to ransom - and probably get caught.
ScienceMay 16, 2017
Computer IP Adressen

Should a government store your IP address?

Germany's Federal Court will decide whether to allow authorities to store IP addresses of people using their websites.
ScienceMay 15, 2017
Anlegen einer Elektronische Fußfessel

Germany adopts GPS shackles

Germany's upper chamber has backed the fitting of electronic ankle bracelets to terror suspects.
PoliticsMay 12, 2017
Symbolbild One-Night Stand im Hotel

Woman sues hotel to identify 'baby's father'

A German woman has failed in a legal bid to force a hotel to name the man she spent three nights with, seven years ago .
SocietyMay 2, 2017
Symbolbild Deutschland - USA

De Maiziere among friends on US trip

Germany's interior minister is meeting his counterpart in Washington to discuss the fight against terrorism.
PoliticsMay 2, 2017
Symbolbild Personalausweis Deutschland 26.09.2014

German spies to access citizens' ID photos

A new German law will allow intel agencies access to all citizens' ID photos - and could identify people in crowds.
Digital WorldApril 27, 2017
Symbolbild Überwachung, Spionage, Bespitzelung

Add-ons: Auxiliary programs turned spies

A lot of add-ons are suspected of forwarding non-anonymized user data to third parties.
CultureApril 25, 2017
01.2012 DW Shift Sendungslogo

SHIFT - Living in the Digital Age

Destruction on YouTube. Data espionage via add-ons. And the art of fingerboarding.
CultureApril 25, 2017
external

Add-ons: Auxiliary programs turned spies

A lot of add-ons are suspected of forwarding non-anonymized user data to third parties.
MediaApril 24, 201703:26 min
Phantom drone

German police hunt drone perverts

A young, naked Munich woman noticed a drone flying above her rooftop spot on a sunny day.
CrimeApril 7, 2017
China junge Frauen machen Selfie Symbolbild

How China controls its citizens through social media

In China, the government can see how you chat, shop or even work via your phone. And they can use that against you.
TechnologyMarch 31, 2017
Designgeschichte Computertechnik Großrechner System/360

Computing today was 'unimaginable 20 years ago'

Computer scientist Brian Kernighan says it's important we understand the digital world, now more than ever.
ScienceMarch 31, 2017
Computer IP Adressen

US internet privacy action could trigger pushback

Congress’ decision to allow internet providers to sell personal data without consent rolls back another Obama rule.
Digital WorldMarch 30, 2017
DW Made in Germany Sendung vom 1.11.2016

Talk: Economizing work and everyday life

Labor market expert Hilmar Schneider discusses the economization of our lives.
BusinessMarch 21, 201708:09 min
Julian Assange London Großbritannien

WikiLeaks announces tech firm cooperation

The anti-secrecy platform WikiLeaks has said it would work with firms to fix security flaws before publishing them.
Digital WorldMarch 9, 2017
DW - Made in Germany Screenshots - Krypto

What is a cryptocurrency?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of virtual currencies? An explanation.
BusinessMarch 7, 201701:58 min
Deutschland Berliner Ausstellungen - Harsh lessons

From God to the Stasi, how we respond to being watched

Three parallel Berlin exhibitions on surveillance reveal its humorous side. But maybe we laugh because we're terrified.
CultureFebruary 16, 2017
DW Zusatzprogramme als Datenspione 2

Add-ons: Auxiliary programs turned spies

A lot of add-ons are suspected of forwarding non-anonymized user data to third parties.
CultureFebruary 7, 2017
01.2012 DW Shift Sendungslogo

Shift - Living in the digital Age

Destruction on YouTube. Data espionage via add-ons. And the art of fingerboarding.
CultureFebruary 7, 2017
Cybermobbing Studie

Safer Internet Day: It's still down to you

The annual Safer Internet Day is all about kids and how to protect them online. But it's about all of us, really.
ScienceFebruary 7, 2017
Symbolbild WhatsApp

German group takes WhatsApp to court

The Federation of German Consumer Organizations challenges WhatsApp's "illegal" data gathering and sharing practices.
TechnologyJanuary 30, 2017
Computer IP Adressen

German data storage laws 'threaten free trade'

Germany's data storage laws are comparable to those of Russia and China, according to a top US tech think tank.
Digital WorldJanuary 12, 2017
Symbolbild Cyber Security

Chaos Computer Club debates

Can the state collect the data of its citizens in the name of security? Can citizens encrypt their data to combat it?
TechnologyDecember 29, 2016
Deutschland Berlin Sicherheitsmaßnahmen nach Anschlag

German poll shows support for more security

Sixty percent of Germans want more video surveillance in public spaces, according to a new YouGov poll on Sunday.
SocietyDecember 26, 2016
Handy im Gerichtssaal (Symbolbild)

EU court rules against mass data retention

A European court has ruled that EU governments cannot force telecom companies to retain all their customers' data.
TechnologyDecember 21, 2016
Berlin Überwachungskamera U-Bahn Hermannstraße - Angriff auf Frau

Berlin 'train kicker' prompts calls for more surveillance

The video of a man kicking a woman down stairs in a Berlin train station was crucial to catching the suspect.
CrimeDecember 19, 2016
Syrien Poster von Bashar al-Assad in Ramouseh Aleppo

How German surveillance firms helped Assad

A new report has revealed how Western technology companies turned a profit from building the Syrian surveillance state.
Human RightsDecember 13, 2016
Puppe My Friend Cayla

'Spy' toys put data protection and child safety at risk

Bluetooth connections enable strangers to contact children through toys.
SocietyDecember 7, 2016
Blackphone 2

Review: the 'private by design' Blackphone 2

Mobile security and privacy are important. With trust in Apple and Samsung slipping, will you try the Silent Circle?
ScienceDecember 2, 2016
Symbolbild Spionage

Germany planning to 'massively' limit privacy rights

The Interior Ministry is planning a major limitation of privacy rights in Germany, say data protection groups.
Law and JusticeNovember 25, 2016