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 football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
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The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
Amherd: Council of Europe is ‘as urgently needed as ever’
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The Swiss government emphasised on Sunday the vital role of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, 75 years after it was founded.
Swiss minister: Italy will back Switzerland in EU talks
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Bern can count on the backing of Italy as it re-enters talks with the European Union on future relations, Viola Amherd says.
Student protestors at University of Lausanne continue pro-Palestine sit-in
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Since Thursday, a hall on campus has been occupied by students calling for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions and a ceasefire in Gaza.
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Swiss public broadcasters RTS and SRF are drastically reducing their communications via the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Israel: president of Swiss universities rejects academic boycott
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Luciana Vaccaro, president of Swissuniversities, the umbrella group of Swiss universities, is not in favour of an academic boycott of Israeli universities.
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.