Children's data protection rights

Every child and young person has the right to data protection. If you have questions about how your personal data are used, you can contact the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman.

Where are your personal data used?

Your personal data are used in many different places, including your school and your hobby clubs. Your personal data are collected, for example, whenever you participate in a camp of an organisation or association or take part in a competition. When you visit a doctor, at least the time and reason for your visit will be recorded.

Various companies also store your personal data when, for example, you play games on your phone or gaming account or when you use social media.

The Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman can help you

You have the right to know where and for what purpose your personal data are used. You also have the right to delete or change your personal data. These rights are known as data protection rights.

If you need help in deleting or changing your personal data, you can ask the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman for help.

Sometimes your data cannot be completely deleted or changed, even if you wish to do so. Even then, however, we at the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman promise to make sure that your personal data are not used without a good reason.

Children and young people are often represented by their parents, but you, too, have certain rights. Sometimes you and your parents may disagree how your personal data should be used. Our job in those situations is to give our opinion on how your best interests would be best served.

Our contact details

Telephone guidance: +358 (0)29 56 66777

Our telephone guidance service is open Our telephone guidance service is open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Tuesday to Thursday.

E-mail: [email protected]

We look after the data protection rights and the best interests of the child

It says in the law known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR for short) that the personal data of children and young people must be care-fully protected. Our job at the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman is to make sure that your data protection rights are protected in Finland.

Finland is committed to a number of international agreements and the laws of the country, according to which the best interests of the child must take priority. Our job as government officials is to make sure that all your rights are respected. We also make sure that we put children's best interest first in our own work.

We at the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman also make sure that children's rights and best interests continue to be protected in any new laws concerning the use of personal data in Finland.