Privacy in practice
We are not always aware of our personal data being processed, but these processing operations play an important part in our everyday lives: in public administration as well as in healthcare, social security, telecommunications, financial services and direct marketing.
Thanks to the high-speed development of information and communication technologies, we can work more efficiently and our everyday life has become easier. Unfortunately, this has also opened the door to abuse.
These days, it is not easy to know who has collected data about whom, and what he is doing with it. In other words, we are losing control of our data, possibly jeopardizing our rights and freedoms.
Do you have any idea which data is mentioned on loyalty cards (customer cards, fuel cards or cards you need in video rental shops)? Do you know what the data is used for? Who knows about your loans and the number of credit cards you have, and when do you end up on the list of defaulters? Which data is on the electronic identity card and who can and may read the data? Is it safe to mention your e-mail address on discussion forums or in chat rooms? Don't you wonder why you are swamped with unwanted e-mails or so-called spam? What is the purpose of the public register? When does a processing operation have to be notified to the Commission? Who has to notify it? Do you know when and where you are filmed by surveillance cameras and can anyone asking for the footage look at it? Does your employer have the right to check your phone calls or read your e-mails? Can banks and companies or other institutions disclose your data to companies or foreign authorities?
The links to more information about these topics have been listed according to theme below. For the time being, only topics of particular international interest have been translated into English. All other topics can be consulted in French or Dutch.
