ARTICLE 29 DATA PROTECTION WORKING PARTY
This Working Party was set up under Article 29 of Directive 95/46/EC. It is an independent European advisory body on data
protection and privacy. Its tasks are described in Article 30 of Directive 95/46/EC and Article 15 of Directive 2002/58/EC.
The secretariat is provided by Directorate D (Fundamental Rights and Citizenship) of the European Commission, Directorate
General Justice, Freedom and Security, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium, Office No LX-46 01/02.
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/privacy/index_en.htm
01189/09/EN
WP 163
Opinion 5/2009 on online social networking
Adopted on 12 June 2009
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Table of contents
Executive Summary ...............................................................................................................3
1.
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 4
2.
Definition of a "social network service (SNS)" and business model ......................... 4
3.
Application of the Data Protection Directive............................................................. 5
3.1
Who is the data controller?..................................................................................... 5
3.2
Security and default privacy settings ..................................................................... 7
3.3
Information to be provided by SNS ....................................................................... 7
3.4
Sensitive Data......................................................................................................... 8
3.5
Processing data of non-members............................................................................ 8
3.6
Third party access................................................................................................... 8
3.7
Legal grounds for direct marketing........................................................................ 9
3.8