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“The first best online service doesn’t have to be the best,” explains the Independent State Center for Data Protection Schleswig-Holstein (ULD) on the occasion of the publication of its video data protection-compliant meeting aid. or phone. For example, you have more control with video conferencing software installed on the server within your own organization. The brochure mentions other technical and organizational measures that companies and authorities, and not only, must take into account at the central office: “Data protection: suddenly video conferencing, what now?”
At the beginning of the Corona crisis, the focus was still on finding quick solutions for important agreements and coordination, so the experience gained can now be used “for a sustainable design and, above all, compatible with data protection”, said State Commissioner for Data Protection Schleswig-Holstein, Marit Hansen The support provided by ULD should serve as the basis for establishing long-term solutions. Authorities and companies, if they have not already done so, must also develop written rules or company agreements for the implementation of video conferences.
Does it always have to be video?
First, there is the fundamental question of whether a video conference is the right communication medium for the respective situation. It can be an advantage to see the gestures and facial expressions of the other participants, but there are also risks. If a conference call or written communication is sufficient, these risks can be avoided. With the transmission of images during a video conference, personal data is automatically generated. Depending on the content of the conference, additional confidential data may be added.
If a company or authority has installed the software on its own servers, there is usually a concept of how to deal with metadata, protocols and analytics data or what functions are available to participants. This variant guarantees the relevant organization more control over data processing. When using online services, the ULD recommends checking with the IT department for privacy-friendly default settings, the use of encryption, etc.
The two groups involved in video conferences, organizers and participants, can also contribute to greater data protection through certain measures. For example, the documents that form the basis of the meeting can be distributed in advance through secure channels, or personal data can be removed from presentations. Participants can also use pseudonyms.
The meeting organizer must set the rules in advance and inform the participants. This also includes information on moderation features such as recordings, muting, or the acceptability of screenshots or recordings by participants. These, in turn, must carefully design their surroundings for the video conference and, for example, ensure that no personal or confidential objects are seen in the background: family photos, medicines, spines of folders with customer data are included. Also, other household members or guests should not be accidentally recorded with images or sound.
Be sure to use waiting rooms
The help provides more information that perhaps not all users are aware of: some programs automatically contact social media platforms without their doing so themselves, which is certainly not always desirable. If such tools offer waiting rooms or call waiting functions, you should also use them; they ensure that only desired participants are present at a meeting.
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