Data

Better availability of data can create added value for individual consumers and help solve challenges that society faces, such as transitioning to “smart mobility”. Improved availability of data is also desirable from a competition perspective. To make this possible, several pieces of legislation have been passed at the Euro-pean level that aim to make data more easily available. For example, in the future, connected devices must be designed in such a way that users can easily obtain, use, and share the data created. In principle, the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv) welcomes this ap-proach.

However, data protection requirements and basic principles such as purpose limi-tation must not be undermined. Responsible use of data is only possible if people can fully trust in the protection of their personal data. It is also important that data use agreements are not used to take advantage of consumers or provide false in-centives for low-income groups. vzbv therefore rejects the idea of direct remunera-tion of consumers in exchange for their data.