Adrian Lobsiger said private videos violated data protection and privacy regulations as there is no need for citizens to observe others and act as “deputy sheriffs”. He added that traffic surveillance was a task for the police.
The commissioner said as a rule such recordings should not be allowed as evidence in court. However, he acknowledged that the use of dashcam video material can be useful in cases of serious offences.
His opinion is opposed by legal experts.
A Zurich state prosecutor told SRF public television that such recordings can contain crucial evidence to prove the seriousness of a traffic offence.
There are no clear rules on the use of dash cams on Swiss roads, but observers say the increasing activity of private individuals has repeatedly caused controversies.
Later this year, the Supreme Court is due to rule in a case of dangerous driving on a motorway.
The use of body cameras has been tested by police in the city of Zurich and railway security personnel.
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Body cam scheme started on Swiss trains
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Two shoulder cameras were in operation on Monday in both stations. The Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner agreed to their use. The aim is not only to increase security for transport police, but also to use the images for evidence. Police who are equipped with cameras must be clearly identifiable, and they must inform…
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
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The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
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The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
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None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
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Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
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It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
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The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
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Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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Body cameras appear on police radar
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Body cameras worn by police officers: technological progress that helps serve justice or an infringement of one's civil rights?
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The Swiss Supreme Court has already issued a ruling that bans the indiscriminate disclosure of people’s names without forewarning the individuals involved. This applies even when Switzerland has a treaty to automatically exchange tax information with other countries, as it does with 30 nations including the US. These treaties were signed following a US criminal…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.