Proposal requested for a worker radiation safety directive, addressing risks from ionizing radiation exposure, by the Commission.
In a move that has raised eyebrows, German real estate company Vonovia has been installing its latest innovation, the Multisensor Plus smoke alarms, in Berlin apartments since early July. While these alarms improve safety by detecting more than just smoke, they have stirred up a storm of controversy due to their potential data collection capabilities.
Elke Fischer, the portfolio manager responsible for the project, states that Vonovia has made adjustments and now installs the devices with the radio function deactivated as standard. Only with consent will they store and transmit the climate data, which includes carbon monoxide, humidity, and temperature. However, these expanded functionalities have led to concerns about privacy and data protection.
The Hamburg Tenants' Association has calculated that Vonovia's entire housing stock would generate an additional 16 million euros in rent per year with an investment volume of 200 million euros. This has prompted critics like Niklas Schenker, the housing policy spokesman for the Berlin Left Party, to view the installation of the Multisensor Plus as a trick by Vonovia to increase the rent. Schenker argues that a normal smoke detector is more than sufficient.
Jasmina Ruhl of the Berlin alliance against Vonovia shares similar sentiments, rejecting the new smoke alarms. She questions whether the modernization is even necessary, given that turning off the unnecessary extra features could render the device a standard smoke detector. Marcel Eupen from the Alternative Tenants' and Consumers' Protection Association also disputes that the planned smart smoke detectors would offer tenants a higher level of safety and thus justify a rent increase.
The core privacy concern is that the Multisensor Plus smoke alarms gather more than fire-related data, potentially infringing on tenants' privacy and data protection if not properly regulated and transparently managed. The device sends data via radio to a "gateway" in the hallway, and aggregated and anonymized evaluations are sent to Vonovia and stored for up to three years.
Critics fear that the collected data could be used against tenants, such as blaming them for mold in apartments. Jasmina Ruhl expresses this concern, stating that tenants should not be subjected to unnecessary risks around surveillance and data security.
Vonovia, however, defends the Multisensor Plus as an innovative smoke alarm that improves safety and offers optional comfort functions for a better indoor climate. The company counts the installation of high-tech warning detectors as a modernization measure that can be passed on to the rent.
As the debate continues, it is clear that the issue of privacy and data protection is at the forefront. Tenants have a right to expect their homes to be a sanctuary, and any intrusion into that privacy must be justified, transparent, and compliant with data protection laws.
[1] https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Vonovias-Multisensor-Plus-Rauchmelder-Stellen-Datenschutz-Und-Privatsphare-Im-Fokus-4120660.html
- The integration of Vonovia's Multisensor Plus smoke alarms, capable of collecting climate data beyond just smoke detection, has ignited a discussion about privacy and data protection in Berlin apartments, as tenants anticipate their homes to be a sanctuary.
- Amidst the controversy, critics like Niklas Schenker and Jasmina Ruhl accuse Vonovia of using the installation of these smart smoke alarms as a disguised tactic to escalate rent, questioning whether the additional comfort functions justify such a move.
- As the multifunctional smoke alarms send data to a gateway and are stored for up to three years, concerns about potential misuse of this data, such as tenants being blamed for mold in apartments, have arisen, sparking a heated debate about data privacy and transparency in the realm of technology-driven lifestyle improvements.
