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Sensitive personal data

About sensitive personal data, data relating to crimes and personal identity numbers.

Certain personal data is by its nature particularly sensitive and therefore has stronger protection. This type of data is called sensitive personal data. Processing of sensitive personal data is as a rule prohibited but there are certain exceptions. Before you process sensitive personal data you must fully understand what lawful grounds you have for the processing.

Sensitive personal data is data concerning

  • racial or ethnic origin
  • political opinions
  • religious or philosophical beliefs
  • membership of a trade union
  • health
  • a person's sex life or sexual orientation
  • genetic data
  • biometric data that is being used to uniquely identify a person.

Authorities may process personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences

Authorities may process personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences. Others than authorities must have a lawful basis in regulations or special decisions to be able to process personal data. Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection will be able to decide that others than authorities may process personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences.

Personal identity numbers require stronger protection

Personal identity numbers and coordination numbers may be processed if the data subjects have given their consent. Should no consent have been given, personal identity numbers may be processed only when it is clearly motivated taking into consideration

  • the purpose of the processing
  • the importance of an accurate identification
  • any other considerable reason.

Remember that you must comply with all the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation, not only the special requirements applying to sensitive personal data. Among other things, the fundamental principles set important limits.

About the information on this page

If the information in English is different from the Swedish version of this page, the Swedish version applies.

Latest update: 15 September 2021
Page labels Data protection