History of data protection: 1981

Key developments

At the Council of Europe: on 28 January 1981 opens for signature the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, generally known as ‘Convention 108’, the first ever legally binding international instrument on data protection.

Also this year

🇪🇺 The European Commission publishes:
- Commission Recommendation of 29 July 1981 relating to the Council of Europe Convention for the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data, OJ L 246/31, 29.8.81, which recognises the fundamental right status of data protection in all linguistic versions, except in the English version.
- Current events in Federal Repubic of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Social Change and Technology in Europe, Information Bulletin No 1, European Pool of Studies, November 1981 (cf. p. 25).
🇪🇺 At the European Parliament:
- Sieglerschmidt, H., Second Report drawn up on behalf of the Legal Affairs Committee on the protection of the rights of the individual in the face of technical developments in data processing, Document 1-548/81, 12 October 1981.
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopts Recommendation No. R(81)1 on regulations for automated medical data banks on 23 January 1981
🇮🇸 On 25 May 1981 is adopted in Iceland Act No. 63/1981 Respecting Systematic Recording of Personal Data (Information Concerning Private Affairs) (English translation by the Council of Europe, via CIPIL).
The 3^rdInternational Conference on Data Protection convenes in Paris (France) (see).

Music

🎵 Kraftwerk ‎’Computerwelt’ (from Computerwelt, Mute, 1981), featuring the lyrics: ‘Interpol und Deutsche Bank, FBI und Scotland Yard, Flensburg und das BKA, Haben unsere Daten da’.

Literature

Bing, Jon (1981), ‘Information Law’, Journal of Media Law and Practice 2(3), 219-239.
Burkert, Herbert (1981), ‘Institutions of Data Protection – An Attempt at a Functional Explanation of European National Data Protection Laws‘, Computer Law Journal, 3, 167-188.
Eger, John M. (1981), ‘The Global Phenomenon of Teleinformantics: An Introduction‘, Cornell International Law Journal 14(2), 203-236.
Epperson, G. Michael (1981), ‘Contracts for Transnational Information Services: Securing Equivalency of Data Protection’, Harvard International Law Journal 22(1), 157-176.
Evans, A. C. (1981), ‘European Data Protection Law‘, The American Journal of Comparative Law 29(4), 571–582.
Frosini, Vittorio (1981), ‘La protezione della riservatezza nella società informatica‘, Rivista Internazionale Informatica e Diritto 1, 5-14.
Guerrero Picó, María del Carmen (2005), ‘El derecho fundamental a la protección de los datos de carácter personal en la Constitución Europea’, Revista de derecho constitucional europeo 4, 293-332.
Kilian, Wolfgang (1981), ‘Information Technology and Law‘, Victoria University of Wellington Law Review, 11, 81-92.

Films

📺 Computers, spies and private lives (1981), Time-Life Video. Watch it on the Internet Archive.

In the media

‘Data protection laws: UK lags behind‘, Nature, 289, 12 February 1981, 527.
Heller Anderson, Susn, ‘Begrudgingly, The British Submit To The Census Taker’s Questions‘, The New York Times, 27 April 1981.

Habbema, Door J. D. F. en P. J. van der Maas, ‘Databanken: verboden terrein voor onderzoek?‘, NRC Handelsblad, 20 July 1981, 7.