New data protection law: Church reforms rules for gigabyte belief!

New data protection law: Church reforms rules for gigabyte belief!

Tarviser Straße 30, 9020 Klagenfurt, Österreich - The Catholic Church of Carinthia will again offer guests the opportunity to experience mountain spirituality to the fullest this year. The highlight are the summit and alarm meals, which take place on numerous Carinthian mountains. These events not only offer a moving way to celebrate faith, but also to enjoy the breathtaking nature around the mountain peaks. Particular attention is paid to the creation of meeting rooms in which the connection between people and creation is in the foreground. The team of the Diocese Gurk cordially invites the community to take part in these spiritual experiences, which are shown as a real source of strength. It will probably be no wonder that the mountain fairs enjoy great popularity, because they speak to the heart of the people in this often hectic time Carinthia .

A field of tension currently runs through the Catholic Church in Germany, where reforms in data protection law are on the agenda. According to katholisch.de , the law on church data protection (KDG) is amended to ensure a better adaptation to current social needs. It is planned that the changes will come into force in early 2026 at the earliest. A focus is on the processing of sexual abuse cases for which special regulations are created to facilitate data processing.

important changes in data protection law

The new data protection law will come up with important changes. For example, the right to deletion for baptisms and church records is expressly excluded. In addition, regulations for the legally secure transfer of services are planned via the Internet, which could strongly promote digital participation in services. The reform is a response to the applicable standards of the European General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR) and is developed in close coordination with the German Caritas Association and other Catholic associations dar .

Another point concerns the fines. These are increased forced: The maximum framework increases from 500,000 euros to one million euros so far - even up to three million euros for economically active church bodies. It is also clarified that consent to data processing will no longer have to be issued in writing in the future, which should be relieved for many church institutions.

reinforcement of data protection

A central aspect of the reform is the strengthening of independence and powers of church data protection supervision. These measures are intended to ensure that the processing of personal data not only takes into account the church special features, but also meets the general legal claims. Before the entry into force, a broad feedback from dioceses, the German Caritas Association and the affected associations will be obtained in order to give the new draft law the finishing touch.

The Catholic Church is trying to find the balance between tradition and the requirements of the modern world - while spiritual experiences are celebrated on the mountains, data protection law and its reforms are on the agenda in the churches. Lived spirituality and responsible handling of personal data can therefore go hand in hand.