Guidelines for guaranteeing privacy in neighborhood communities

The Catalan Data Protection Authority (APDCAT) has published a new informative video with a set of answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding privacy in the area of ​​neighborhood communities. The aim is to provide clear guidelines so that both the community and the neighbors themselves or property administrator, if any, act in accordance with the provisions of the data protection regulations in this area, answering recurring questions.

The video reminds us that the community acts as the data controller, and that in the event of having a property administrator, they must sign a processing order to establish the obligations of the parties in relation to the data. Also that the community does not require the consent of the neighbors to process their data. However, in the case of community messaging groups (WhatsApp or similar), it is necessary to have the consent of each neighbor.

The community must keep a record of the processing activities it carries out, inform residents of their rights, and respond to them in the event of a complaint (access, rectification, deletion, etc.). The video also answers questions regarding the recording of images with video surveillance and the publication of personal information in areas visible to everyone such as the lobby or elevators. Also about what to do with information regarding defaulters.