ips Datenschutz-Siegel
The seal assesses an organisation’s data protection. Since 2025 the scheme has been accredited by the DAkkS under Art. 42 GDPR.
The test takes one click. A genuine seal leads to a page of the issuer, and that page names your shop.
Genuine seal
Clicking the seal opens:
The page sits on the issuer’s domain. The path differs per shop, so the diagram shows only the domain. The page has to name the shop you are visiting.
Image without a link
Clicking the seal opens:
Anyone can place the logo on a page. Without a link there is no proof, and the shop cannot back up the seal.
At a glance
What sets ips Datenschutz-Siegel apart from the other seals: who issues it, what is checked behind it and how you recognise the proof.
| Issuer | datenschutz cert GmbH, Bremen |
|---|---|
| Since, region | 2003, DE |
| Type | Data protection certification |
| Proof | The seal confirms data protection. It says nothing about the rest of the shop. Check that the organisation is in the certificate list and the certificate is still valid. |
How to check whether it’s genuine
Certified bodies appear in the public certificate list of datenschutz cert; the seal links to a certificate referencing the specific body.
- Click the seal. It must lead to a certificate at datenschutz-cert.de.
- Look the body up in the public certificate list.
- Watch the issue and expiry date. The certificate is valid for around three years.
Verification route with the issuer: datenschutz cert GmbH, Bremen
- List of certified shops
- datenschutz cert: GDPR ips certificate list
What this seal checks
50 criteria across 8 modules
- Lawfulness of data processing (legal bases, special categories of data)
- Data-protection principles: privacy by design/default, purpose limitation, data minimisation
- Fulfilment of the duties to inform data subjects
- Technical and organisational measures (access, transport and input control, pseudonymisation)
- Data-protection management (data protection officer, record of processing activities, breach notification)
- Data-subject rights: access, rectification, erasure, data portability, objection
Process
The ips seal has existed since 2003 (developed with Peter Schaar, the former Federal Data Protection Commissioner). In 2025 the DAkkS accredited the scheme “GDPR: information privacy standard” under Art. 42 GDPR.
Known forgery patterns
How the ips Datenschutz-Siegel seal is misused in shops.
- An ips logo without a valid, current certificate record at datenschutz cert. ips confirms data protection.
- The seal says nothing about the shop as a whole.
The Verbraucherzentrale lists ips alongside Trusted Shops, EHI and the former TÜV s@fer shopping as a trust seal for online shops. It assesses data protection only.
Four checks apply to every seal, regardless of the provider. To the checks
Is a shop entitled to carry this seal?
The shop check detects known seals and asks the issuer whether a valid certification exists. On top come the rest of the 39 check modules, each finding with its reasoning.
More trust seals
Österreichisches E-Commerce-Gütezeichen
Austrian quality mark of the Verein E-Commerce-Gütezeichen (ÖIAT), backed by WKO and the Chamber of Labour. Awarded since 2000.
Swiss Online Garantie
A Swiss seal from HANDELSVERBAND.swiss with a catalogue of criteria across 7 areas.
Trusted Shops
Issued by Trusted Shops SE in Cologne. The seal has existed since 1999, and certified shops come with the issuer’s buyer protection.