Data protection aspects concerning the use of social or routine data

Abstract

"When using social, respectively routine data in scientific research, extensive data protection rules have to be respected, particularly in the case of sensitive social data. This applies for both the use of microdata and the use of linked datasets (e.g. primary and secondary data). When planning and conducting scientific studies, extensive organisational and time resources are required. This article describes the legal and organisational requirements of data protection legislation in Germany. It explains terms such as social data, personal data, pseudonymisation, anonymisation and trust agency, and outlines the legal foundations. Key players/users, especially data owners, supervisory authorities and data protection officers, as well as their specific roles in the context of data protection are introduced. The key data protection steps are explained on the basis of different scenarios and selected examples. The article is intended to provide the reader with the necessary tools for using social / routine data for scientific research in compliance with data protection regulations beyond the German regulations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

March, S., Rauch, A., Bender, S. & Ihle, P. (2015): Data protection aspects concerning the use of social or routine data. (FDZ-Methodenreport 12/2015 (en)), Nürnberg, 20 p.