Article 22 GDPR. Automated individual decision-making, including profiling
1. The data subject shall have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning him or her or similarly significantly affects him or her.
(a) is necessary for entering into, or performance of, a contract between the data subject and a data controller;
(b) is authorised by Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject and which also lays down suitable measures to safeguard the data subject’s rights and freedoms and legitimate interests; or
(c) is based on the data subject’s explicit consent.
3. In the cases referred to in points (a) and (c) of paragraph 2, the data controller shall implement suitable measures to safeguard the data subject’s rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, at least the right to obtain human intervention on the part of the controller, to express his or her point of view and to contest the decision.
4. Decisions referred to in paragraph 2 shall not be based on special categories of personal data referred to in Article 9(1), unless point (a) or (g) of Article 9(2) applies and suitable measures to safeguard the data subject’s rights and freedoms and legitimate interests are in place.
Article 9 GDPR. Processing of special categories of personal data
1.Processing of personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.
2. Paragraph 1 shall not apply if one of the following applies:
(a) the data subject has given explicit consent to the processing of those personal data for one or more specified purposes, except where Union or Member State law provide that the prohibition referred to in paragraph 1 may not be lifted by the data subject;
[…]
(g) processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject;
[…]
General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR)
The latest consolidated version of the Regulation with corrections by Corrigendum, OJ L 127, 23.5.2018, p. 2 ((EU) 2016/679). Source: EUR-lex.
ISO/IEC 27701, adopted in 2019, added additional ISO/IEC 27002 guidance for PII controllers.
Here is the relevant paragraphs to article 22 GDPR:
7.2.2 Identify lawful basis
Control
The organization should determine, document and comply with the relevant lawful basis for the processing of PII for the identified purposes.
Implementation guidance
Some jurisdictions require the organization to be able to demonstrate that the lawfulness of processing was duly established before the processing.
The legal basis for the processing of PII can include:
— consent from PII principals;
— performance of a contract;
— compliance with a legal obligation;
— protection of the vital interests of PII principals;
— performance of a task carried out in the public interest;
— legitimate interests of the PII controller.
The organization should document this basis for each PII processing activity (see 7.2.8).
The legitimate interests of the organization can include, for instance, information security objectives, which should be balanced against the obligations to PII principals with regards to privacy protection.
Whenever special categories of PII are defined, either by the nature of the PII (e.g. health information) or by the PII principals concerned (e.g. PII relating to children) the organization should include those categories of PII in its classification schemes.
The classification of PII that falls into these categories can vary from one jurisdiction to another and can vary between different regulatory regimes that apply to different kinds of business, so the organization needs to be aware of the classification(s) that apply to the PII processing being performed.
The use of special categories of PII can also be subject to more stringent controls.
Changing or extending the purposes for the processing of PII can require updating and/or revision of the legal basis. It can also require additional consent to be obtained from the PII principal.
7.3.10 Automated decision making
Control
The organization should identify and address obligations, including legal obligations, to the PII principals resulting from decisions made by the organization which are related to the PII principal based solely on automated processing of PII.
Implementation guidance
Some jurisdictions define specific obligations to PII principals when a decision based solely on automated processing of PII significantly affects them, such as notifying the existence of automated decision making, allowing for the PII principals to object to such decision making, and/or obtaining human intervention.
NOTE In some jurisdictions, some processing of PII cannot be fully automated.
Organizations operating in these jurisdictions should take compliance with these obligations into account.
(71) The data subject should have the right not to be subject to a decision, which may include a measure, evaluating personal aspects relating to him or her which is based solely on automated processing and which produces legal effects concerning him or her or similarly significantly affects him or her, such as automatic refusal of an online credit application or e-recruiting practices without any human intervention. Such processing includes ‘profiling’ that consists of any form of automated processing of personal data evaluating the personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning the data subject's performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences or interests, reliability or behaviour, location or movements, where it produces legal effects concerning him or her or similarly significantly affects him or her. However, decision-making based on such processing, including profiling, should be allowed where expressly authorised by Union or Member State law to which the controller is subject, including for fraud and tax-evasion monitoring and prevention purposes conducted in accordance with the regulations, standards and recommendations of Union institutions or national oversight bodies and to ensure the security and reliability of a service provided by the controller, or necessary for the entering or performance of a contract between the data subject and a controller, or when the data subject has given his or her explicit consent. In any case, such processing should be subject to suitable safeguards, which should include specific information to the data subject and the right to obtain human intervention, to express his or her point of view, to obtain an explanation of the decision reached after such assessment and to challenge the decision. Such measure should not concern a child.
In order to ensure fair and transparent processing in respect of the data subject, taking into account the specific circumstances and context in which the personal data are processed, the controller should use appropriate mathematical or statistical procedures for the profiling, implement technical and organisational measures appropriate to ensure, in particular, that factors which result in inaccuracies in personal data are corrected and the risk of errors is minimised, secure personal data in a manner that takes account of the potential risks involved for the interests and rights of the data subject and that prevents, inter alia, discriminatory effects on natural persons on the basis of racial or ethnic origin, political opinion, religion or beliefs, trade union membership, genetic or health status or sexual orientation, or that result in measures having such an effect. Automated decision-making and profiling based on special categories of personal data should be allowed only under specific conditions.
(72) Profiling is subject to the rules of this Regulation governing the processing of personal data, such as the legal grounds for processing or data protection principles. The European Data Protection Board established by this Regulation (the ‘Board’) should be able to issue guidance in that context.
