Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 July 2018
On June 27, 2017, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (GC) delivered its judgment in Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy v. Finland. It was the first time that the GC considered whether the application of data protection law to the publishing activities of a media outlet had violated the right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights (Convention). In its judgment, the GC found that a prohibition on two companies publishing the taxation data of 1.2 million identifiable individuals had not violated the right to freedom of expression.
1 Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy v. Finland, App. No. 931/13 (Eur. Ct. H.R., 2017) [hereinafter Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy v. Finland].
2 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms art. 10, Nov. 4, 1950, 213 UNTS 222.
3 Personal Data Act of Finland, Act No. 523/1999. At the time, Finnish data protection law was derived from European Union Directive 95/46/EC on the Protection of Individuals with Regard to the Processing of Personal Data, O.J. (L 281). This directive has now been repealed and replaced with European Union Regulation 2016/679 on the Protection of Natural Persons with Regard to the Processing of Personal Data and on the Free Movement of Such Data, O.J. (L 119).
4 Personal Data Act of Finland, Act No. 523/1999, §2(5). See also Directive 95/46/EC, art. 9.
5 Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy v. Finland, supra note 1, ¶¶ 13–17.
6 Id. ¶¶ 21–22.
7 Id. ¶ 23.
8 Id. ¶ 122.
9 Id. ¶ 138.
10 Id. ¶ 140.
11 For a detailed overview of this three-part test, see, for example, The Sunday Times v. The United Kingdom, App. No. 6538/74 (Eur. Ct. H.R., 1979).
12 Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy v. Finland, supra note 1, ¶¶ 142–159.
13 Id. ¶ 160.
14 Id. ¶ 167.
15 Id. ¶ 172.
16 Id. ¶ 174.
17 Id. ¶ 177.
18 Id. ¶ 180.
19 Id. ¶ 181.
20 Id.
21 Id. ¶ 185.
22 Id. ¶ 190.
23 Id.
24 Id. ¶ 191.
25 Id. ¶¶ 192–195.
26 Id. ¶ 196.
27 Id. ¶ 197.
28 Id. ¶¶ 198–199.
29 Id. ¶ 178. Compare with the observation of the Court of Justice of the European Union that notions relating to freedom of expression, such as journalism, must be interpreted broadly. Court of Justice of the European Union, Tietosuojavaltuutettu v. Satakunnan Markkinapörssi Oy and Satamedia Oy, C-73/07 (Dec. 16, 2008), ¶ 56.
30 Id. ¶¶ 173–178.