Data protection and individual privacy are fundamental principles of public statistical work. Statistical secrecy is regulated by the Federal Statistics Act of 1992 which underscores the importance of data protection for statistics. Information obtained by the Confederation through statistical surveys may only be used for statistical purposes or for research or planning purposes; any exceptions must be regulated by law.
Statistical secrecy is used to ensure that data about private individuals, companies or businesses are not used for administrative, control, taxation or supervisory activities. It also forbids publication of the findings in a form that allows conclusions to be drawn about private individuals or legal entities. All persons who are entrusted with confidential data have an obligation to maintain secrecy. This obligation also applies to people outside the federal government administration who handle and evaluate data collected within the framework of public statistics.