Current Affairs Personal data protection still a problem in the Czech Republic
When the Office for Personal Data Protection was established three years ago few Czechs had a clear idea as to its activities and raison d'etre. Now, the office has established itself as a respected independent body which supervises the processing of personal data and deals with people's grievances regarding infringements on their right to privacy. Many people call to inquire whether their employer has a right to read their e-mail, to be informed about their state of health or how their ID number could be misused if it falls into the wrong hands. Computerization and the internet have made it much easier to collect data about people and Czechs, who were used to having the communist authorities collect whatever private data they thought fit, are now waking up to the fact that they have a right to privacy. The head of the Office for Protection of Personal Data Karel Neuwirt explains that educating people about their rights is one of the important tasks on the office's agenda :
The head of the Office for Protection of Personal Data Karel Neuwirt
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