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Processing of matters within our competence

Processing of personal data in connection with the processing of cases falling within our competence

Cases instituted with the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman are logged in the Office's case management system. The information necessary for the appropriate processing and tracking of the case is recorded in the case management system. Please note that the details on the processing of the personal data of Data Protection Officers can be found in the section Processing of the personal data of Data Protection Officers, while information on the processing of the personal data of job applicants is provided in the section Submitting job applications.

The purpose of the processing of this data is the handling of instituted cases in the manner required by law and the planning and implementation of other official activities.

From the data stored in the case management system, we compile statistics on, for example, the numbers of processed and pending cases, processing times and the distribution of cases across industries.

The Legal Register Centre is responsible for the technical administration of the case management system. There are no interfaces to other information systems from the system.

The storage times of personal data related to the processing of cases instituted with the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman are determined by the Archive Act (831/1994), the National Archives Service regulation (AL 16465/07.01.01.03.02/2016) and the Office’s archiving plan.

What data do we process?

Cases instituted with the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman are logged in the case management system and assigned with a record number.

The extent of data processed depends on the nature of the case and on what information has been delivered to us in connection with it. You can also institute a case concerning a personal data processing violation anonymously and without providing us with your contact details.

We regularly process at least the following data:

  • the name of the person who instituted the case
  • the contact details of the person who instituted the case, such as the telephone number, e-mail address and/or postal address
  • the description of the case and
  • information on the phases of processing.

Our processing is based on

We process personal data for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and in the exercise of official authority vested in the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman:

We process special categories of personal data for reasons of public interest and by virtue of national legislation:

The position, tasks and competence of the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman are provided for in:

Disclosure of data

There are no regular disclosures of data.

Data is disclosed in accordance with the Act on the Openness of Government Activities. The data and documents are public unless specifically decreed confidential by law.

Data may be disclosed also to other supervisory authorities in the EU or EEA in circumstances where we must handle complaints and investigations in cooperation with other supervisory authorities in the EU/EEA.

No data will be disclosed for direct marketing, survey or market research purposes, unless there are separate provisions regarding disclosure for such purposes.

Your data protection rights with regard to the processing of personal data

In this section, we describe your data-protection rights related to the use of electronic services with regard to personal data concerning others than Data Protection Officers or job applicants. Details on the data-protection rights related to the processing of the personal data of Data Protection Officers can be found in the section Processing of the personal data of Data Protection Officers, while information on the processing of the personal data of job applicants is provided in the section Submitting job applications.

Right to obtain information on the processing of personal data

  • You have the right to know for what purposes and by which methods we process your personal data.
  • The aim of this description of our data protection policies is to provide a comprehensive picture of the processing of personal data in our operations. If some aspect of our processing of personal data remains unclear, however, the description has failed in its purpose. If this is the case, you are welcome to send your questions to the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman by e-mail (see contact details below).
  • Additional information on the right to be informed of the processing of personal data.

Right of access

Right to rectification

  • If the personal data we are processing is inaccurate, you can request us to rectify such data that concerns you.
  • If we rectify data on the basis of your request, we are obligated to notify all parties to whom we have previously disclosed your data of the rectification where viable.
  • Additional information on the right to rectification.

Right to restriction of processing

  • If you consider the data that we are processing to be inaccurate or the processing to be unlawful, or you have objected to the processing of your data, you can request us to restrict the processing of your data.
  • In such cases, we are only allowed to process your data
    • with your consent;
    • if we need the data for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
    • for the public interest; or
    • in order to safeguard the rights of another person.
  • If we restrict the processing of data on the basis of your request, we are obligated to notify all parties to whom we have previously disclosed your data of the restriction where viable.
  • Additional information on the right to restriction of processing.

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data by us. You can exercise this right at any time on grounds relating to your particular situation. After this, we may not continue processing your personal data except for compelling legitimate grounds which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or if the processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. Additional information on the right to object.

The Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman does not make decisions based on automated processing. Neither does the Office create profiles on the basis of the personal data it processes.

You can send requests concerning your data-protection rights to the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman by e-mail ([email protected]) or post (PL 800, 00531 HELSINKI).

The decisions of the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman can be appealed in the competent Administrative Court according to the instructions for appeal provided by the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman. The legality of the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman's actions is supervised by the supreme guardians of the law, i.e. the Parliamentary Ombudsman and Chancellor of Justice.

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