How secure is my data in your database?

Since we want to be able to match donors and recipients, and do so worldwide, we need to store our members’ data online in a database. We are aware that this involves certain risks. We try to minimize these risks with a great effort to protect your data by using the latest protection technologies (such as in https://safeblood.us/en/ufaq/how-do-you-make-sure-that-someone-cant-access-all-the-living-wills-on-the-website/). We also regularly try to hack our own database and have never been successful, as we really try to stay one step ahead of potential attackers.

However, we are aware that any online database can be hacked, and this is one of the reasons, for example, why we delete your ID card as soon as it has been verified by our staff. This usually happens within two days. And yes, even if that database was offline, stored only on a hard drive – it could be stolen and also hacked.

For you, this simply means that you have to decide for yourself what is more important to you: the ability to find a blood donor when you really need one (and also to be found as a donor when another member needs you), or your utmost privacy by not giving out private information, to us or anyone else, and thereby not being found. There is no option in between.

However, we strongly believe that once you use a mobile phone, the Internet, email, or any type of digital information (including any data your hospital collected from you during your last inpatient visit), you are quite naive to believe that anything transmitted through any of these channels will remain private, no matter how strict your privacy settings are on any of these devices. Also, believing that Telegram channels would be more secure than WhatsApp or similar is most likely an illusion. On the contrary, it is obvious that as a member or user of the aforementioned organizations, you clearly belong to the more critical species, and either you don’t mind being identified as one of them, or you’d rather choose to go underground altogether and stay under the radar. And then, of course, to stop using any of the electronic devices mentioned at the beginning – including public transportation, hospitals, supermarkets (unless you only pay cash and make sure no surveillance camera was active when you passed the counter…).

My personal approach to this problem: I openly tell anyone interested that I refuse to participate in the worldwide genetic study called “mRNA vaccines” or similar, and they are welcome to add me to any database that lists this. And furthermore, that I publicly oppose any forced participation in similar studies. I simply live a life that allows me to stand up for what I believe are important personal values, and have no secrets – just as I teach my children and grandchildren to stand up for their values – because if we don’t, eventually there will be no values left to stand up for. And as for privacy and the confidentiality of any data: I am fully aware of the fact that this no longer exists as soon as I use one of the aforementioned electronic devices. Anything else would be an illusion.

But: not everyone has the privilege of being able to publicly stand up for their values at all times. And for those of you who are members of safeblood, we go the extra mile to protect your data and privacy as best we can.