The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (FfDF) is the federal commissioner not only for data protection but also, since commencement of the German Freedom of Information Act on January 1, 2006, for freedom of information.
Before the commencement of the Act, his title was "Federal Commissioner for Data Protection #FfD#". In this capacity, according to the German Federal Data Protection Act #FDPA#, he is an independent control entity providing monitoring for data protection in public federal government positions and at corporations, and telecommunications and postal services. He produces a semiannual activity report. The German Federal Government nominates him and the German Bundestag elects him. During his time in office, he receives remuneration in the amount commensurate with a federal official in salary group B 9. In this regard, his status is that of a public law official, but not, however, that of a civil servant. The term of office is five years. He can be reelected.
A right to refuse to give evidence is available to the federal commissioner in regard to persons and facts with which comes into contact in his capacity as federal commissioner #FDPA §23, sec. 4#. He is also empowered to decide about his employees' refusal to give evidence.
The German Federal Ministry of the Interior establishes the federal commissioner. His agency assumes an exceptional administrative organizational position. The FfDI's budget is accounted for in its own chapter. The necessary personnel and facilities are to be made available to him pursuant to legal regulations. Positions at the FfDI can only be filled with his approval.
The FfDI executes of his office independently subject only to law. There is no technical oversight #FDPA §22, sec. 4#. He is subject to the federal government's legal oversight as well as the Federal Ministry of the Interior's official oversight.
Peter Schaar has been the Office of the Federal Commissioner incumbent since December 17, 2003. Diethelm Gehold represents the FfDI and is its leading official.
The Federal Commissioner monitors #FDPA §24# and advises #FDPA §26, sec. 3# federal civil servants, other public positions at the federal level, telecommunications and the postal service on the grounds of the Telecommunications Act #TCA# and postal law . He advises and monitors implementation of security inspections according to the Security Review Law #SRL#, even to the extent that they affect private business.
Read more about Federal Commissioner For Data Protection And Freedom Of Information: Notes and References
Famous quotes containing the words federal, data, protection, freedom and/or information:
“Daniel as a lad bought a handkerchief on which the Federal Constitution was printed; it is said that at intervals while working in the meadows around this house, he would retire to the shade of the elms and study the Constitution from his handkerchief.”
—For the State of New Hampshire, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“To write it, it took three months; to conceive it three minutes; to collect the data in it—all my life.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)
“After so many historical illustrations of the evil effects of abandoning the policy of protection for that of a revenue tariff, we are again confronted by the suggestion that the principle of protection shall be eliminated from our tariff legislation. Have we not had enough of such experiments?”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)
“In the kingdom of consumption the citizen is king. A democratic monarchy: equality before consumption, fraternity in consumption, and freedom through consumption. The dictatorship of consumer goods has finally destroyed the barriers of blood, lineage and race.”
—Raoul Vaneigem (b. 1934)
“The information links are like nerves that pervade and help to animate the human organism. The sensors and monitors are analogous to the human senses that put us in touch with the world. Data bases correspond to memory; the information processors perform the function of human reasoning and comprehension. Once the postmodern infrastructure is reasonably integrated, it will greatly exceed human intelligence in reach, acuity, capacity, and precision.”
—Albert Borgman, U.S. educator, author. Crossing the Postmodern Divide, ch. 4, University of Chicago Press (1992)