The concept “communications services” comprises both the areas telecommunications and the Internet. Here, you will find all problems related to data protection laws concerning the subjects: telephone, mobile phone and the Internet. Under the column “media”, articles on the fields of press and broadcasting are compiled.

In addition to technological guidelines, you will find here articles on questions related to data protection laws in the field of new technologies.

The concept “business” covers a wide field: In addition to the public business and financial administration of the federation, such as the federal institute for financial services, it also includes the private sector, the so-called non-public sector. In this area, controls related to data protection laws are not within the competence of the BfDI, but they are within the competence the Länder supervisory authorities. The BfDI is only competent for telecommunication providers, for the Deutsche Post AG and for other companies providing postal services. On the following pages you will also find information on subjects related to the credit economy sector and to the consumer protection sector, for example, the credit investigation bureau (German: SCHUFA). In addition, you will also find information on the financial sector.

This column deals with all subjects related to the Federal Agency for Employment. Moreover, the areas of data protection for employees and for the staff in the public administration including questions such as working hours and the questioning of staff are presented.

This category deals with general questions concerning the doctors’ rights and topical discussions on genetic diagnostics. In addition, the areas of health and private nursing insurance, retirement and accident insurance are also dealt with.

Here you will find information on different kinds of legal areas. The area of administrative law includes for example subjects related to the area of operations of the Federal Commissioner for documents of the state security service of the former GDR (German abbreviation BStU), the Act on Passports, Statistics or of national census.

In the case of laws concerning foreigners, among others, questions related to the central register of foreigners are dealt with. The area of criminal law includes subjects such as the acoustic monitoring of the home or the use of DNA-analysis for criminal proceedings.