Data Advocacy for Finland
Finland is a member of the European Union and has implemented the EU Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC with the Personal Data Act 523/1999 (‘Act’) (Henkilötietolaki) in June 1999.
Other important Finnish laws concerning data privacy and protection are the Code for Information Society and Communications Services 917/2014 (‘Information Society Code’) (Tietoyhteiskuntakaari) of 1st January 2015, which aims to inter alia ensure the confidentiality of electronic communication and the protection of privacy, and the Act on the Protection of Privacy in Working Life 759/2004 (‘Working Life Act’) (Laki yksityisyyden suojasta työelämässä), which aims to promote the protection of privacy and other rights safeguarding the privacy in working life.
Information Society Code is an ambitious effort to collect the relevant laws relating to information society under a single statute. The Information Society Code contains mostly the same provisions as the preceding laws, but it combines a large quantity of different provisions under a single law and covers a large area of legislation.
The Working Life Act includes some specific provisions on privacy issues relating to employment and work environments such as right to monitor employees’ email communication.
The general data protection law in Finland is the Personal Data Act (523/1999) (“PDA”), by which the EU Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC) was implemented in Finland.
http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1999/19990523
http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1999/en19990523.pdf (English; not up- to-date)
The Act on the Protection of Privacy in Working Life (759/2004) (“APPWL”) governs data protection in working life, by laying down provisions on such matters as the processing of employees’ Personal Data, the processing of information on drug use, camera surveillance in the workplace and retrieving email messages that belong to the employer.
http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2004/20040759
http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2004/en20040759.pdf (English; not up- to-date)
Under the new Information Society Code (917/2014) (“ISC”) relevant provisions on electronic communications and providing information society services are drawn together in one act, repealing many of the previously effective acts on electronic communications. In practice, provisions in relation to several important areas, such as telecommunications, protection of privacy and confidentiality of messages, domain names, electronic marketing and cookies are under this new act.
http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2014/20140917 http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2014/en20140917.pdf
There are numerous sector-specific regulations, which include data protection-related provisions. In particular, the processing of Personal Data in health care and social welfare is closely regulated. The status and rights of medical patients and clients of social services are protected by the Act on the Status and Rights of Patients 785/1992 and the Act on the Status and Rights of Social Welfare Clients (812/2000).
The Data Protection Ombudsman (Tietosuojavaltuutettu) is the local supervisory authority.
Post address:
P.O. Box 800 00521 Helsinki Finland
Visiting address:
Ratapihantie 9, 6th floor
T +358 29 56 66700
www.tietosuoja.fi
The Act does not currently include a specific obligation for organisations, businesses or other entities to have a special data protection officer appointed, but organisations, businesses and other entities processing personal data should name a specific contact person in the description of the personal data file. The Act on the Electronic Processing of Information of Social Welfare and Health Care Clients (159/2007) and the Act on Electronic Prescription (61/2007) require that, inter alia, providers of social welfare or health care services must appoint a Data Protection Officer for monitoring and supervision duties.
The Act does not include any mandatory requirement to report breaches of data security or losses of data to the data subject or the data protection authorities. Even though the Act does not currently include any such mandatory obligation, the Data Protection Ombudsman may give instructions to the data controller to take necessary measures (in data breach or loss situations), which may include an obligation to notify the data subjects of the breach.
Information/Notice Requirements:
When collecting Personal Data, the Data Controller shall see to it that the Data Subject can access information on: (i) the Data Controller and, where necessary, the representative of the Data Controller; (ii) the purpose of the processing of Personal Data; (iii) the regular destinations of disclosed data; and (iv) how to proceed in order to make use of the rights of the Data Subject in respect of the processing operation in question. The aforementioned information shall be provided at the time of the collection and recording of data or, if the data is obtained from a source other than the Data Subject and intended for disclosure, at the time of the first disclosure of data at the latest.
The above-mentioned required information can, in practice, be provided to the Data Subject in a description of file, constituting another necessary requirement for the Data Controller. Under the general rules provided in the PDA, the Data Controller shall draw up a description of the created Personal Data file. The file must indicate the following information:
- the name and address of the Data Controller and, where necessary, those of the representative of the Data Controller;
- the purpose of the processing of Personal Data;
- a description of the group or groups of Data Subjects and data or data groups relating to them;
- the regular destinations of disclosed data and whether data is transferred to countries outside the EU or the EEA; and
- a description of the principles in accordance to which the data has been secured.
The Data Controller shall keep the description of the file available to anyone. This obligation may be derogated from if necessary for the protection of national security, defense or public order and security, for the prevention or investigation of crime, or for a supervision task relating to taxation or public finances.
Opt-in regime: no direct marketing electronic mail can be legally sent without the express consent of the receiver, unless a pre-existing business or commercial relationship exists. (Consent is however not mandated for marketing to legal persons.)
Also, a specific opt out must be offered with each message. Disguised sender identities are prohibited, and a valid return address must be provided.
The term “Opt-Out Rule” means that the sending of e-marketing to the recipient is permitted on an opt-out basis if:
the recipient’s details were originally collected “in the context of a sale”.
the entity sending the marketing is the same legal entity that collected the recipient’s details initially.
the marketing relates to “similar” products and/or services for which the recipient’s details were originally obtained.
the recipient is given the opportunity free of charge to object to the e-marketing, both at the time their details were collected and in each subsequent communication.
Applicable Legislation:
Information Society Code (917/2014), Chapters 24, Sections 200 & 202
First party e-marketing
(entity that collects the data will send the e-marketing itself)
B2C: Opt-in. Opt-out permitted where Opt-Out Rule applies.
B2B: Opt-out
Third party e-marketing
(entity that collects the data will share with third party partner for e-marketing)
B2C: Opt-in
B2B: Opt-in.
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