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- Art. 3 FC
- Art. 5a FC
- Art. 6 FC
- Art. 10 FC
- Art. 13 FC
- Art. 16 FC
- Art. 17 FC
- Art. 20 FC
- Art. 22 FC
- Art. 26 FC
- Art. 29a FC
- Art. 30 FC
- Art. 32 FC
- Art. 42 FC
- Art. 43 FC
- Art. 43a FC
- Art. 55 FC
- Art. 56 FC
- Art. 60 FC
- Art. 68 FC
- Art. 75b FC
- Art. 77 FC
- Art. 96 para. 1 FC
- Art. 96 para. 2 lit. a FC
- Art. 110 FC
- Art. 117a FC
- Art. 118 FC
- Art. 123a FC
- Art. 123b FC
- Art. 130 FC
- Art. 136 FC
- Art. 166 FC
- Art. 170 FC
- Art. 178 FC
- Art. 189 FC
- Art. 191 FC
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- Art. 11 CO
- Art. 12 CO
- Art. 50 CO
- Art. 51 CO
- Art. 84 CO
- Art. 97 CO
- Art. 98 CO
- Art. 99 CO
- Art. 100 CO
- Art. 143 CO
- Art. 144 CO
- Art. 145 CO
- Art. 146 CO
- Art. 147 CO
- Art. 148 CO
- Art. 149 CO
- Art. 150 CO
- Art. 633 CO
- Art. 701 CO
- Art. 715 CO
- Art. 715a CO
- Art. 734f CO
- Art. 785 CO
- Art. 786 CO
- Art. 787 CO
- Art. 788 CO
- Art. 808c CO
- Transitional provisions to the revision of the Stock Corporation Act of June 19, 2020
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- Art. 2 PRA
- Art. 3 PRA
- Art. 4 PRA
- Art. 6 PRA
- Art. 10 PRA
- Art. 10a PRA
- Art. 11 PRA
- Art. 12 PRA
- Art. 13 PRA
- Art. 14 PRA
- Art. 15 PRA
- Art. 16 PRA
- Art. 17 PRA
- Art. 19 PRA
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- Art. 29 PRA
- Art. 30 PRA
- Art. 31 PRA
- Art. 32 PRA
- Art. 32a PRA
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- Art. 36 PRA
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- Art. 40 PRA
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- Art. 48 PRA
- Art. 49 PRA
- Art. 50 PRA
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- Art. 52 PRA
- Art. 53 PRA
- Art. 54 PRA
- Art. 55 PRA
- Art. 56 PRA
- Art. 57 PRA
- Art. 58 PRA
- Art. 59a PRA
- Art. 59b PRA
- Art. 59c PRA
- Art. 60 PRA
- Art. 60a PRA
- Art. 62 PRA
- Art. 63 PRA
- Art. 64 PRA
- Art. 67 PRA
- Art. 67a PRA
- Art. 67b PRA
- Art. 73 PRA
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- Art. 75 PRA
- Art. 75a PRA
- Art. 76 PRA
- Art. 76a PRA
- Art. 90 PRA
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- Vorb. zu Art. 1 FADP
- Art. 1 FADP
- Art. 2 FADP
- Art. 3 FADP
- Art. 4 FADP
- Art. 5 lit. d FADP
- Art. 5 lit. f und g FADP
- Art. 6 para. 3-5 FADP
- Art. 6 Abs. 6 and 7 FADP
- Art. 7 FADP
- Art. 10 FADP
- Art. 11 FADP
- Art. 12 FADP
- Art. 14 FADP
- Art. 15 FADP
- Art. 18 FADP
- Art. 19 FADP
- Art. 20 FADP
- Art. 22 FADP
- Art. 23 FADP
- Art. 25 FADP
- Art. 26 FADP
- Art. 27 FADP
- Art. 31 para. 2 lit. e FADP
- Art. 33 FADP
- Art. 34 FADP
- Art. 35 FADP
- Art. 38 FADP
- Art. 39 FADP
- Art. 40 FADP
- Art. 41 FADP
- Art. 42 FADP
- Art. 43 FADP
- Art. 44 FADP
- Art. 44a FADP
- Art. 45 FADP
- Art. 46 FADP
- Art. 47 FADP
- Art. 47a FADP
- Art. 48 FADP
- Art. 49 FADP
- Art. 50 FADP
- Art. 51 FADP
- Art. 52 FADP
- Art. 54 FADP
- Art. 55 FADP
- Art. 57 FADP
- Art. 58 FADP
- Art. 60 FADP
- Art. 61 FADP
- Art. 62 FADP
- Art. 63 FADP
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- Art. 65 FADP
- Art. 66 FADP
- Art. 67 FADP
- Art. 69 FADP
- Art. 72 FADP
- Art. 72a FADP
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- Art. 2 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 3 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 4 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 5 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 6 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 7 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 8 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 9 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 11 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 12 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 16 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 18 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 25 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 27 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 28 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 29 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 32 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 33 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 34 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
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- Art. 2 para. 1 AMLA
- Art. 2a para. 1-2 and 4-5 AMLA
- Art. 3 AMLA
- Art. 7 AMLA
- Art. 7a AMLA
- Art. 8 AMLA
- Art. 8a AMLA
- Art. 11 AMLA
- Art. 14 AMLA
- Art. 15 AMLA
- Art. 20 AMLA
- Art. 23 AMLA
- Art. 24 AMLA
- Art. 24a AMLA
- Art. 25 AMLA
- Art. 26 AMLA
- Art. 26a AMLA
- Art. 27 AMLA
- Art. 28 AMLA
- Art. 29 AMLA
- Art. 29a AMLA
- Art. 29b AMLA
- Art. 30 AMLA
- Art. 31 AMLA
- Art. 31a AMLA
- Art. 32 AMLA
- Art. 38 AMLA
FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
MEDICAL DEVICES ORDINANCE
CODE OF OBLIGATIONS
FEDERAL LAW ON PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW
LUGANO CONVENTION
CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE
FEDERAL ACT ON POLITICAL RIGHTS
CIVIL CODE
FEDERAL ACT ON CARTELS AND OTHER RESTRAINTS OF COMPETITION
FEDERAL ACT ON INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS
DEBT ENFORCEMENT AND BANKRUPTCY ACT
FEDERAL ACT ON DATA PROTECTION
CRIMINAL CODE
CYBERCRIME CONVENTION
COMMERCIAL REGISTER ORDINANCE
FEDERAL ACT ON COMBATING MONEY LAUNDERING AND TERRORIST FINANCING
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
FEDERAL ACT ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
- In brief
- I. Definition and classification
- II. Intent of the legislator
- III. Requirements
- IV. Legal consequences
- V. Significance in practice
- Bibliography
- Materials
In brief
Anyone who lawfully makes personal data available on the internet for the purpose of informing the public (and thus an indefinite group of people) does not have to meet the requirements for disclosure abroad.
I. Definition and classification
1 Art. 18 specifies the conditions under which the general disclosure of personal data on the internet is not considered disclosure abroad.
2 The publication of personal data in electronic form in accordance with Art. 18 concludes the third section, “Disclosure of personal data abroad.” In addition to the principle in Art. 16 and the exceptions in Art. 17, Art. 18 describes the conditions under which the aforementioned provisions on disclosure abroad no longer apply. If the conditions are met, the non-applicability of Art. 16 and 17 becomes the legal consequence.
3 This is a legal presumption and is irrefutable: if the disclosure meets the conditions set out in Art. 18 (fictional basis), it is deemed not to constitute disclosure abroad in accordance with Art. 16 and 17 (fictional consequence).
4 This presumption does not affect the fact that it is a disclosure. This therefore constitutes a processing operation. The general (processing) principles of Art. 6 ff. must be fulfilled at all times.
5 As part of the total revision of the DSG, the provision on “cross-border disclosure” (Art. 6 aDSG) was transferred to a separate section entitled “Disclosure of personal data abroad.” The permissibility of disclosure under the conditions set out there (formerly Art. 6 para. 1 and para. 2 lit. a aDSG) is now regulated as a principle in Art. 16, and the exceptions (formerly Art. 6 para. 2 lit. b–g aDSG) are now listed in Art. 17.
6 “Publication in electronic form” (formerly Art. 5 VDSG) has been transferred to Art. 18 with three editorial clarifications. In the draft and in the message, it was referenced as Art. 15; it was not yet included in the preliminary draft. Furthermore, this provision was inconspicuous in the legislative process.
7 The legal consequence of Art. 18 is exclusive, which is why publication on the internet does not constitute an exception within the meaning of Art. 17 para. 1 lit. a–f and is therefore not listed there.
II. Intent of the legislator
8 The internet knows no national borders. The publication of personal data on the internet inevitably results in its global accessibility—even in countries without adequate data protection. Because the audience is global and undefined, the responsible person in Switzerland cannot fulfill the requirements for permissible disclosure abroad. The legislator presumably accepts the associated risk of violations of privacy as a “concession to increasing digitalization.”
9 Accessibility in countries without adequate data protection can be made more difficult by country blocks (IP blocks, known as “geoblocking”), but cannot be prevented entirely.
III. Requirements
10 Two requirements must be met cumulatively, otherwise general accessibility is considered disclosure abroad.
A. Objective: informing the public through general access
11 The publication must (by definition) aim to inform the public by creating general access.
12 No additional requirements may be imposed on the need for information: it is covered if the processing of personal data for publication on the internet is lawful, in particular proportionate and fit for purpose.
13 Only a group of recipients whose location cannot be determined can be considered the public: if the location abroad can be determined or access can be controlled (e.g. through country blocking, see N. 9 above), it would be reasonable for the responsible person to fulfill the requirements for permissible disclosure abroad. However, a geographical restriction contradicts general access.
14 General access means that the information is made available without restriction. However, access does not have to be granted free of charge or without registration. Registration does not change the risk: as a result of global accessibility, even registered recipients from a country with adequate data protection can move to a country without adequate data protection and access the published personal data from there.
B. Means: automated information and communication services
15 Art. 18 refers to “automated information and communication services” in a technology-neutral formulation. The comments refer to “the Internet or Internet-based services” and “websites, blogs, or even news services such as Twitter, etc.” This also includes “publication via apps, streaming services, video-on-demand portals, and comparable services.” This covers any form of publication in electronic form that allows global access. This also applies to email newsletters.
16 In our opinion, the server location is irrelevant: firstly, there is a risk of accessibility from countries without adequate data protection (without country restrictions, see above N. 9) regardless of the server location. Secondly, even if the data is initially stored in Switzerland, it cannot be prevented from being copied to servers located abroad. Thirdly, the DSG also applies to circumstances that have an impact in Switzerland, even if they originate abroad. The distinction between servers located in Switzerland and servers located abroad does not appear to be relevant here.
IV. Legal consequences
17 If the requirements are met, publication in electronic form is not considered disclosure abroad under Art. 16 DSG. Exceptions under Art. 17 DSG do not need to be examined.
18 If the requirements are not met, publication in electronic form is considered disclosure abroad under Art. 16 DSG. Exceptions under Art. 17 DSG may apply. A violation of Art. 16 DSG (disclosure without adequate protection) is considered a breach of duty of care and may result in criminal liability under Art. 61 lit. a DSG.
V. Significance in practice
19 In fact, the legal presumption in Art. 18 forms the basis for the publication of personal data on the Internet and thus enables participation in modern media traffic: the hurdles applicable to disclosure abroad cannot be overcome by the responsible persons with reasonable effort.
20 Legally, the removal of the requirements for permissible disclosure abroad merely represents a specific privilege for the responsible person in Switzerland: the publication of personal data on the internet must always meet the requirements for processing and disclosure. Publications that are inappropriate or otherwise violate the principles of processing cannot be privileged.
21 According to Art. 3, the provisions of the DSG also apply in principle to processing initiated abroad (of personal data published on the internet). Even if the legislator accepts the risk of personal rights violations associated with global accessibility, the wording of Art. 18 does not contain any general privilege for the responsible person abroad. Consequently, further disclosures (following publication on the internet) are not subject to the requirements for disclosure abroad, but must also meet the requirements for processing and disclosure.
22 Additional requirements apply to federal authorities: in addition to the requirement for a legal basis for the publication of this data (e.g., the Freedom of Information Act), Art. 36 para. 5 stipulates the obligation to delete the data in question from “the automated information and communication service” as soon as there is no longer any public interest in public access.
23 As far as can be ascertained, this provision (neither as Art. 5a VDSG nor as Art. 18) has not yet been incorporated into a published court ruling.
Bibliography
Jungo Alexandra, Zürcher Kommentar zum Zivilgesetzbuch, Art. 8 ZGB, 3. Aufl., Zürich 2018.
Dal Molin Luca, Kommentierung zu Art. 18 DSG, in: Blechta Gabor P./Vasella David (Hrsg.), Datenschutzgesetz / Öffentlichkeitsgesetz, Basler Kommentar, 4. Aufl., Basel 2024.
Kunz Christian, Kommentierung zu Art. 18 DSG, in: Bieri Adrian/Powell Julian (Hrsg.), Orell Füssli Kommentar zum Schweizerischen Datenschutzgesetz mit weiteren Erlassen, Zürich 2023.
Husi-Stämpfli Sandra, Kommentierung zu Art. 18 DSG, in: Baeriswyl Bruno/Pärli Kurt/Blonski Dominika (Hrsg.), Datenschutzgesetz, Stämpflis Handkommentar, 2. Auflage, Bern 2023.
Materials
Botschaft zum Bundesgesetz über die Totalrevision des Bundesgesetzes über den Datenschutz und die Änderung weiterer Erlasse zum Datenschutz vom 15.9.2017, BBl 2017 S. 6941 ff., abrufbar unter https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/fga/2017/2057/de, besucht am 23.12.2025.