Method for operating a hearing device, and hearing device

A method for operating a hearing device, which comprises the steps of:

• assigning the hearing device to a user and the hearing device is or will be connected to other hearing devices each assigned to another user, for data exchange in a common network, wherein:
• the hearing device or one of the other hearing devices controls the data exchange by subscribing to the common network as a master, and all the other hearing devices each subscribe to the common network as a slave, the decision of whether the hearing device subscribes to the common network as a master or as a slave being made before the hearing device joins the common network, the common network being a decentralized and relay-free network, in which the hearing device and the other hearing devices are directly connected to each other, and additional devices which are not hearing devices are omitted from the network, at least for a data exchange between the hearing devices;
• it is decided whether the hearing device subscribes to the network as the master or as the slave by determining an operational capability of the hearing device and comparing it with the operational capability of the other hearing devices, and by the hearing device subscribing as the master if the hearing device has a highest operational capability, and otherwise as the slave;
• a search mode of the hearing device is activated if it is not currently subscribed to the common network;
• and
• in the search mode the hearing device emits a search signal, which contains the operational capability of the hearing device so that it can be received by another hearing device and compared with the operational capability thereof.