Data Protection Authority
The Data Protection Authority is an independent supervisory body. It focuses on safeguarding the fundamental and personal rights of citizens whose data is processed by Zug authorities.
Topics
The Data Protection Authority provides individuals and public authorities with documents and information on the following topics:
About us
The Data Protection Authority of the Canton of Zug advises, supports and monitors cantonal and municipal authorities on all matters related to data protection and information security.
The Data Protection Authority operates independently, without instructions from external bodies. It is responsible for the data processing carried out by
- cantonal directorates, including offices and departments, the cantonal corporations and institutions (e.g. Zug building insurance), the courts and the cantonal schools;
- resident, church, citizen and corporate communities, including associated departments and divisions, as well as municipal schools; and
- private third parties who have been contracted by the canton or municipalities to provide public services (e.g. the Association for Labor Market Measures VAM or the regional employment centers operated by it).
The FADP applies and the Data Protection Authority is responsible if an institution outsources data processing to a third party (commissioned data processing; e.g. outsourcing personal data processing to a cloud).
The Federal Data Protection Act applies when companies, individuals and federal bodies process personal data. The Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) is responsible for enforcing this law.
Legal bases
The Data Protection Act of the Canton of Zug applies when cantonal or municipal authorities and administrative bodies process personal data. For federal bodies, individuals and companies, the Federal Act on Data Protection applies.
The Data Protection Act of the canton of Zug is a framework law that applies to various areas. So it includes general principles that must always be followed when processing personal data. It also regulates data subjects' rights and the appointment, legal status and duties of the data protection officer.
The provisions governing personal data processing are primarily found in the relevant substantive or special legislation at the communal, cantonal or federal level (e.g. tax, social welfare, health, police or personnel legislation). These override the general data protection laws as per the ‘lex specialis’ principle.
Activity reports
The Data Protection Officer reports annually to the Cantonal Council detailing the work of the Data Protection Authority.
The activity reports offer insights into current data protection matters and the advisory practices of the Data Protection Authority.
Important links
List of video surveillance systems
The Data Protection Authority must publish the approvals for video surveillance granted in the canton of Zug, including details of the recording areas. You can access the list of video surveillance approvals here.
Privatim, the Conference of Swiss Data Protection officers
The Data Protection Officer of the Canton of Zug is a member of Privatim, the Conference of Swiss Data Protection Officers. Privatim includes the data protection authorities of all cantons, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), and the data protection authorities of the Principality of Liechtenstein and various cities. Privatim publishes media releases, statements, and infosheets on key data protection topics for Switzerland:
privatim
Addresses and contacts of the data protection authorities in Switzerland
The data protection authority is exclusively responsible for data processing by municipal and cantonal authorities of the canton of Zug. If data is processed by authorities outside the canton, please contact the relevant data protection authority:
Address list of data protection authorities in Switzerland
Data processing by individuals, companies or federal authorities falls in the purview of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) in Bern.
Data Protection Officer
