Data Protection Day 2015: “Followed at every step and turn – do health apps and wearables pose a threat to our privacy?”
Bern, 28.01.2015 - What changes can we expect as a result of the increasing use of health apps and wearables? What opportunities and risks do they involve for the general public, science and industry? At today’s 9th International Data Protection Day, experts from the worlds of politics, industry and science will discuss these issues with Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner Hanspeter Thür.
There are multifaceted interests in our health data, and we are often rather careless with it. When money can be earned, interested parties like to neglect deliberately that this is actually highly sensitive information. Who should be entitled to decide who may have access to what kind of data? Regarding the high sensitivity of health data the individual's right to informational self-determination in the course of technological advances has to be ensured.
The Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner, Hanspeter Thür, is hosting a panel discussion this morning with representatives of the different sectorial interests. The discussion with Jean Christophe Schwaab, member of the National Council SP/VD, Prof. Henning Müller, eHealth-Expert HES-SO, and Marc Lounis, Senior Product Manager for innovative accessories at Swisscom, is taking place in Berne. The event is moderated by Michael Marti, head of Online and Newsnet at the Tagesanzeiger newspaper.
Interested members of the public also have the opportunity to have their say on the data security and data protection of health apps and wearables on the FDPIC blog. The blog will be opened at 9 am today: http://www.blog.edoeb.admin.ch (in French and German).
The International Data Protection Day takes place annually on the initiative of the European Council. It aims to raise public awareness about privacy protection and the right to informational self-determination. It is taking place this year for the ninth time.
Address for enquiries
Media office of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner
Tel: 058 464 94 10
Publisher
Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner
https://www.edoeb.admin.ch/edoeb/en/home.html
