The Independent State Center for Data Protection Schleswig-Holstein (ULD) received 130 fewer complaints in 2022 compared to the previous year, where there were many corona-related abuses. However, with 1334 complaints in total, the ULD still had their hands full. One example was a person responsible for customer cards who used address data to advertise a citizens’ initiative – a violation of data protection law. The ULD released its 2023 Activity Report, which also revealed many complaints about video surveillance, employee data protection, and sensitive data breaches.
The ULD has long focused on technologies that increase privacy protections, including AI. The Anonymization for Medical Applications (AnoMed) project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, aims to create a test and evaluation platform to prevent re-identification while retaining necessary information for researchers. However, state data protection officer Marit Hansen is concerned about the increasing use of AI, such as ChatGPT, which can be used for internet searches or writing texts. Hansen warns that it is crucial to take countermeasures against potential risks to individuals, society, and democracy.
