There are prizes that nobody is happy about. One of them is the “Big Brother Award”, which has been given to companies and services that violate people’s privacy and sell personal data since 2000. One of the winners this year is the Deutsche Post DHL Group.
Last year DHL changed the way it uses and accesses its Packstations. Until now, customers could log in using a customer card, but since then this has only been possible using an app. Those who want to pick up a package from the Packstation also need a QR code, which is only available via the app. You are not only dependent on a smartphone, you also need to have the “Post & DHL” app installed and set up on your device. It was precisely this digital compulsion that gave the Deutsche Post DHL Group the award of the Big Brother Awards 2023 the questionable victory in the “Consumer Protection” category.
DHL Packstations can only be used with a smartphone and app
In spring 2022, TECHBOOK reported on the changeover at the DHL Packstations. Even then, we received comments from readers who were quite unhappy with the adaptation and criticized the digital compulsion. You don’t just need a smartphone with an active Bluetooth connection to mirror the display on the newer Packstation models without a display onto your device. Customers must also be logged into the mobile Internet in order to be able to call up the necessary data via the app. Those who do not have a smartphone can no longer use the Packstation. It is primarily this smartphone and app requirement that is why DHL was awarded the negative prize. However, the award-givers also list two other points that DHL has bestowed with the Big Brother Award 2023.
- On the one hand, the “Post & DHL” app would send data to tracking companies without being asked after it was launched.
- On the other hand, the prize-givers criticize the attempt “to evade the obligations of providing a basic service for letter delivery, among other things through the plan to replace post offices with machines”.
According to the Big Brother Awards, IT security expert Mike Kuketz found out that DHL uses the app to pass on data to third parties without being asked. According to his investigations, the app creates connections to various tracking sites, including, for example, Google Firebase (USA), Adobe Inc. (USA), Adobe Experience Cloud, Google Firebase Remote Config (USA) and the “Google Firebase Analytics” tracker.
Lawyer Peter Hense dealt with the data protection of the “Post & DHL” app based on these findings and came to a devastating conclusion. According to him, both the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the TTDSG (Telecommunications Telemedia Data Protection Act) are being criminally disregarded. In particular, the transmission of data to the US-based companies Google and Adobe requires consent.
Big Brother Award criticizes plans to dismantle DHL branches
Since last year, the costs for letter postage and parcel delivery have continued to rise. In addition, there is increasing Complaints to the Federal Network Agency. Among other things, customers complain about the poor quality of letter delivery and the lack of supply from post offices, especially in rural areas. DHL has therefore planned some adjustments. On the one hand, customers whose letter is to be delivered on the next working day could soon have to pay an extra fee. On the other hand, one would like to counteract the lack of branches in certain regions with so-called “post stations”. Various letter services, among other things, are then possible at the machines.
What sounds good in itself is a difficult hurdle for some users. For one thing, not all customers are able to handle the digital stations. Some do not know how to do it, others may have physical disabilities and cannot operate the machines or access them barrier-free. The post offices cannot replace classic advice either. Also, a big point is that the stations don’t accept cash. Payment can therefore only be made digitally by card.
TECHBOOK has attempted to reach the DHL press office for comment. Unfortunately, submitting our request is currently not working due to your error in the form submission. We will try again later and then post the answer here.