Profiling

Swiss data protection law treats profiling as automated processing of personal data used to assess personal aspects such as work performance, economic situation, health, preferences, location or behaviour. It is common in credit scoring, targeted advertising, fraud detection and algorithmic risk assessment. Profiling may create heightened risks when it is extensive, opaque or affects important decisions. Controllers should ensure transparency, a suitable legal basis, data minimisation, security and safeguards against inaccurate or discriminatory outcomes. Swiss rules distinguish ordinary profiling from higher-risk profiling in certain contexts.