In his recent legal opinion published in the legal publication JurPC, Stefan Hessel, a research assistant working for the Institute Director Prof. Dr. Christoph Sorge, has set out why the children’s doll "My friend Cayla" qualifies as an illegal transmitter.
The analysis is based on paragraph 90 of the German Telecommuications Law (TKG). As a result of the fact that, through an app, the doll can interact with the user via a phone connected by bluetooth, and, in particular, requires an internet connection for conversations, Stefan Hessel’s view is that the doll constitutes the type of transmitter which is prohibited by paragraph 90 TKG. The Federal Network Agency, to whom Mr Hessel’s opinion was also sent, share Mr Hessel’s view and intend to remove the doll from circulation.
The article in JurPC 13/2017 (in German only) can be accessed here.
Stefan Hessel’s legal opinion has been widely reported in the press:
Stefan Hessel, who works for Prof. Sorge, the juris-Professor of Legal Informatics, at the Centre for IT-Security, Privacy and Accountability as well as at the Institute of Legal Informatics, specialised in the area of IT-Law and legal Informatics at an early stage of his studies through his choice of the elective subject area 9.
The Institute of Legal Informatics offers students as well as those working in the field many opportunities to specialise in IT-Law. Examples of this are the elective subject area "IT-Law and Legal Informatics" for law students and the Certificate in IT-Law and Legal Informatics which is open to students from all faculties as well as to those working in IT-Law or Data protection.
