New prevention tools

In order to manage the handling of data, my staff and I have created data protection concepts, for studies in the laboratory, but also on the Internet. These were reviewed by the university’s data protection officer and found to be good. We have also applied for and received an ethics vote, which governs ethical aspects. Procedures in the laboratory are governed by protocols. Computers are password-protected and in this way we obtain a high level of data protection. I illustrate further problems in data protection: Are we allowed to link digitised data of test persons, for example? Are we allowed to link the age and language skills of test subjects with their brain wave reactions and eye movements? For such linking and data processing, we require written consent from the test subjects. To what extent may we pass on the data? Currently, we publish data when a journal requires it and only then in a completely anonymous form, so that the identity of individual test subjects cannot be traced. Problems could arise if the test persons are insufficiently informed and/or have not given their explicit consent. Another example of the prevention of risks concerns their storage. For storing eye movement data or brain wave potential data and also other data, we always use encryption software. The data is stored on password-protected servers at the university and can only be decrypted with the help of passwords. These precautions enable us to store the data securely.

• Pia Knoeferle an der TU Berlin