Your right to object to use of your personal information

You have a right to object to use of your data where:

• you have valid grounds to object, which relate to your particular situation
• the lawful basis on which the organisation is using the data is legitimate interests or the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority
• the use is for profiling or for direct marketing
• the use is for scientific use, historical research or statistics

The organisation must tell you of your right to object when it first communicates with you, and in its privacy notice. You must be explicitly told, separately and clearly from any other information.

If the organisation uses your data online, then it must offer you a way to object online, i.e. through its website.

Your objection, if successful, prevents the organisation from further using your data for those purposes.

If the organisation is using your data for direct marketing, it cannot refuse your objection and must stop using your data. There are no exemptions. It cannot delay stopping, and it cannot charge you for stopping.

However, if it believes that its use is more important than preserving your interests, rights and freedoms, or if the use related to establishing, exercising or defending a legal claim, it may continue to use your data.

An example is if it is conducting research and using your personal data is necessary for the performance of a public interest task.

If you believe that the organisation is wrong to continue, your only course of further action is to complain to the supervisory body.