In the report of the Federal Government's Data Ethics Commission (2019), the basic concern of data ethics is formulated as follows:

"The data perspective focuses on digital data, which are used for machine learning, as a basis for algorithmically shaped decisions, and for a plethora of further purposes. This perspective considers data primarily with a view to their origin and to the potential impact their processing may have on certain parties who are involved with the data, such as by being the data subject, as well as on society at large. From an ethical and legal point of view, it is important to identify standards for data governance; typically, however, rights that parties involved with the data can enforce against others will play an even more significant role. A central distinction in this context is that between personal and non-personal data, since it determines whether the provisions of data protection law apply" (op. cit., p. 8)

Data Ethics Commission of the Federal Government Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (ed.) (2019): Opinion of the Data Ethics Commission, Berlin.