Data protectors violently criticized Swisscom – SonntagsZeitung



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The school class program has the pretty name Helloclass. Supplier is Swisscom . On the digital school platform, teachers can exchange ideas with students and parents. And they do it. The online program is already used in "hundreds of schools" in Switzerland, writes Swisscom in a statement that "tens of thousands of visits" take place every day. From the next school year, the program will also be available in an extended premium version – application included

At the launch of 2014, the official brochures of the schools of the cantonal departments of education for digital textbooks were published . In the meantime, teachers have already created 11,000 accounts in German and French-speaking Switzerland. Here, they define what is expected of homework, exams and appointments, students and parents can write comments and ask questions through a chat feature, teachers help. The virtual classroom is accessible from any computer, tablet or smartphone. Free.

Several points that "do not go like this"

But now it turns out that teachers are not allowed to use the online platform at all. Data protectors see this as a violation of applicable regulations. "Helloclass is not in compliance with data protection laws," explains Bruno Baeriswyl, Data Protection Officer of the Canton of Zurich. "If the schools conclude this contract with Swisscom, they violate the data protection rules."

Baeriswyl is the author of the "Data Protection Glossary for Elementary Schools" directive, which also serves as a guide to the Swiss Teachers Association. At Helloclass, he spots several points, "it does not go like that". This begins with point 1 of the privacy policy that Telecom Group has put in place for Helloclass. There, Swisscom declares itself "data controller". This would mean that he can dispose of the data collected by Helloclass. "That's not true, of course," says Baeriswyl. "The school is still responsible for the data, she only outsourced the treatment."

The verdict of Baeriswyl is devastating

As stated in the guidelines, Swisscom does not merely process data such as names, IP addresses and e-mail addresses, but also evaluates the usage information: date, time, duration, frequency, up to the types of browsers and operating systems that are used. In other words: profiles are created. For the Zurich data protection a non-go.

This also applies to the following point: In accordance with Helloclass's privacy policy, Swisscom has the "right" to use data from the "marketing and advertising information for schools and / or teachers" category. . And it continues. The data, Swisscom's note, could also be transmitted to "other members of the Swisscom Group or to other service providers" and even "sold" in the event of bankruptcy, merger or acquisition. or reorganization.

Intriguing for the data protector Baeriswyl is also what defines Enterprise at data storage. These are currently stored on servers in Switzerland, but they reserve the right to relocate data storage abroad, including in countries "where data protection laws provide a level of protection lower "than in Switzerland.

Marketing is only one of many points of criticism

The verdict of the data protector Baeriswyl is devastating. "Schools can not use Helloclass as it is created." Faced with criticism, Swisscom "never intends to" carry out its own marketing activities or transmit or sell customer data to third parties ", according to a spokesman. made in the future. "We will immediately change the privacy policy and inform users." These should also be assured that their data has never been used for this purpose.

But the Marketing is one of the many criticisms of privacy advocates. "Baeriswyl now wants to complete" Elementary School of Privacy Policy. "With a chapter on Helloclass. (SonntagsZeitung)

created: 30.06.2018, 21:11

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