Privacy & Information Security Law Blog

On November 2, 2011, Germany’s Federal Minister of the Interior met with stakeholders from the social networking industry and announced the development of a self-regulatory code for social networks. According to the Ministry’s press release, the code is aimed at enhancing data protection, consumer protection and the protection of minors on the Internet.

In endorsing the initiative, the Interior Minister stated, “self-regulation can also prove efficient in the social networking context, allowing for quick and flexible arrangements that enhance transparency and user trust. These rules should apply regardless of where a company is based.” The Minister also stressed that the current, ongoing review of the EU data protection framework will figure prominently in the development of the Code.

A first draft of the Code is expected in March 2012.