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Abstract

In our information-intensive society, our behaviour is increasingly monitored, captured, stored, used and analysed to become knowledge about people, their habits and social identity. New technologies such as mobile location-based services, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), smartcards and biometrics support a greater capturing of customer and user information and allow for tailored services to the individual’s needs and desires. Due to this development, the concept of ‘personal data protection’ looses its significance. The debate on how to react to new technologies for user identification, should not be limited to a discussion on how to protect individual data: Instead, the privacy debate should be a discussion on the impact on people’s identity.

Keywords: Technology, Privacy, Surveillance, Politics, Inidividual Freedom, Constitution, Internet, human rights