Was wissen sie?

Your right to access your data

Swiss data protection law gives you the right to find out what personal data companies, organizations, and government agencies are processing about you. To exercise this right, you must submit a data access request to the relevant data controller.

With “Was wissen sie?”, we have developed an online service to help you with this. You can create your request in a few steps and, if needed, have it printed and sent by mail.

From search to finished letter

First, search for the organization in the Swiss UID Register and select it as the recipient. Then enter your name and mailing address. An address search helps you find Swiss addresses.

If necessary, add details such as your email address, cell phone number, or customer number so the organization can identify you. You can also attach a copy of your ID. You can black out any information that is not necessary for identification.

In the preview, you can review the finished letter and add or correct your information before sending it.

Download as a PDF or send by mail

You can download the request as a PDF, print it, and send it yourself. Alternatively, “Was wissen sie?” can handle the printing and mailing for a fee. You can choose between A-Post Plus and registered mail so that delivery is documented.

For data controllers in Switzerland

The service is currently for people in Switzerland and supports requests to data controllers listed in the Swiss UID Register. This register includes many, but not all, companies, organizations, and government agencies.

For foreign online services, a Swiss subsidiary is often not the data controller under data protection law. Therefore, a listing in the register alone does not mean that it is the correct recipient. Individuals outside Switzerland are not currently supported directly.

Attorney Martin Steiger helped us with data protection issues related to the service. In his article on “Was wissen sie?”, he describes the process and the current limitations of the service.