Within personal dataPersonal data includes: 'any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (data subject); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that natural person(…)” (EU GDPR Article 4 No. 1, 2016; BDSG §46 para. 1, 2018; BlnDSG §31, 2020). Read More, there is a subset known as special categories of personal data. This definition originates from Article 9(1) of the EU GDPR (2016), which states that this includes information on:

• ethnic origin (e.g., skin color),
• political opinions (e.g., membership in a political party),
• religious or philosophical beliefs (e.g., affiliation with a religious community),
• trade union membership,
• health (e.g., illness),
• sex life and sexual orientation (e.g., attendance at related venues).

It also includes genetic and biometric data (e.g. fingerprints) for identifying a natural person. According to the General Data Protection Regulation, this information is considered “sensitive” because its collection, processing or use may pose significant risks to the data subjects. They are therefore subject to special obligations and processing conditions. As a general rule, the consent of the data subjects must be obtained for the processing of personal data. Exceptions apply if the data has been made public by the data subject themselves or if there is a substantial public interest (EU GDPR Article 9 (2), 2016).

Personal data, which is considered highly sensitive according to the General Data Protection Regulation, regularly arises in ethnographic research projects.