City Cites Questionable Smoke Detectors from Vonovia
In a recent city council meeting, the issue of data privacy and Vonovia's "Multisensor Plus" devices was brought to the forefront. These devices, designed to measure smoke, temperature, humidity, and carbon monoxide, have raised concerns among tenants' associations and data protection advocates.
According to Vonovia, data transmission from these devices occurs only with explicit tenant consent. The devices are delivered with climate data transmission disabled by default, and Vonovia has recently started installing devices with disabled wireless functions.
However, concerns have been expressed that these devices record and store data without explicit consent, which is considered an invasion of privacy. The city administration has no independent knowledge of this process, and it remains unclear if it fulfills all rental and data protection requirements.
The administration in Braunschweig considers it essential that tenants give consent for data that could be used to draw conclusions about apartment use to be collected and shared. Tenants who have doubts about this process are advised to contact tenants' associations or the state data protection commissioner.
The tenants' alliance in Braunschweig protested against the installation of new smoke detectors by Vonovia in March. Councillor Gisela Ohnesorge (Die Linke) stated that tenants fear the devices could be used for surveillance.
The city council has discussed this issue, with data protection being a central concern in the protest. The city cannot legally prohibit Vonovia from installing the "Multisensor Plus" devices, as this is viewed as a contractual and data protection issue beyond municipal jurisdiction. However, the city considers tenant consent essential before collecting and transmitting climate data, which these devices gather.
Die FRAKTION. BS submitted a query about this issue to the administration, and the city is currently investigating the matter to ensure compliance with all relevant regulations. As the investigation continues, tenants are encouraged to stay informed and voice their concerns if they have any.
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