Der strafrechtliche Schutz der Persönlichkeit im Internetzeitalter

To what extent does “analogue” criminal law adequately protect personality in the digital age? Fabian Stam highlights gaps to be closed through interpretation or legislation to ensure coherent legal protection.

Fabian Stam examines the protection of personality under criminal law in the internet age. He identifies the following as legally protected aspects of personality: control over one’s own body, self-determination, the right to respect, informational self-determination, control over one’s own image, and personal development-each encompassing various legal interests. The aim of the study is to contrast the protection of these aspects in the “analogue world” with the specific features of the internet age, including the wide reach of online conduct, issues of data security and data protection, constant accessibility and vulnerability, and the ubiquity of smartphones. This comparison repeatedly reveals deficiencies in the protection of personality with regard to the characteristics of the digital environment. Particularly serious gaps emerge in the protection of one’s own image and in data protection. Contrary to a widespread view in the literature, such gaps (and the generally fragmented and unsystematic nature of criminal law) are not accepted as inherent features but are conceived as shortcomings to be remedied (“an attempt at defragmentation”). Only a coherent system of criminal law, based on a consistent conceptual framework, can serve as a meaningful tool for resolving social conflicts, rather than an unsystematic and fragmented one.

A. Einleitung
I. Begriffsverständnis: Persönlichkeit
II. Strafrechtlich geschützte Persönlichkeitsausschnitte
III. Besonderheiten strafrechtlichen Persönlichkeitsschutzes im Internetzeitalter
IV. Methodik zur Herausarbeitung des gesetzgeberischen Konzepts
V. Konsistentes statt fragmentarisches Strafrecht
VI. Rechtsgutslehre und gesetzgeberischer Beurteilungsspielraum
B. Strafrechtlich geschützte Ausschnitte der Persönlichkeit
I. Hoheit über den eigenen Körper
II. Selbstbestimmung
III. Anspruch auf Achtung
IV. Informationshoheit
V. Hoheit über das eigene Bild und Wort
VI. Persönlichkeitsentwicklung
C. Ergebnis
I. Rechtsgutsperspektive: Skizze des strafrechtlichen Persönlichkeitsschutzes
II. Gefährdungsperspektive: Internetspezifische Besonderheiten des strafrechtlichen Persönlichkeitsschutzes

• By (author) Fabian Stam