The Federal Data Protection Commissioner Ulrich Kelber has warned the federal government and criticized the European Commission for data protection violations. Kelber received 10,614 reports of data protection violations in 2022, 500 more than the previous year. In a notice, Kelber ordered the “Bundesregierung” Facebook fan page to stop operating, but the Federal Press Office has yet to comply. Kelber called on the federal government to create clarity and warned that the page may have to be shut down if it does not comply with data protection regulations.
At a press conference in Berlin, Kelber discussed health projects and announced that the BfDI will give an opinion on proposed legislative projects. However, Kelber emphasized the importance of basic data protection and IT security measures and criticized the lack of solutions for insured persons who do not have a suitable device to control their electronic patient file.
Kelber also criticized the EU Commission’s proposed chat control, which includes extensive obligations for providers of platforms and chat systems. Kelber warned that breaking end-to-end encryption could have dangerous consequences, including increased possibility of third-party attacks.
In his report, Kelber recommended revising regulations for data trustees and abolishing anti-terror and right-wing extremism databases. Kelber was also able to report positive developments, including the successful concept of the Federal Ministry of Interior for the case processing system in the Federal Criminal Police Office and the fundamental revision of data protection in the German Pension Insurance Association.
