The Swedish Data Protection Authority ordered the Police Authority to remedy the insufficiency of its signage informing about video surveillance at Gothenburg Central Station, especially for travelers arriving by train.

Facts and context

The Swedish Privacy Protection Authority (IMY) issued a decision ordering corrective measures against the Police Authority for failures related to information about the video surveillance implemented at Gothenburg Central Station.

The case originated from a complaint that led the authority to examine the compliance of the video surveillance signage with the information obligations provided by the video surveillance law.

Reasons for the decision

The authority identified a main failure:

• Information obligation: The authority found that the signage informing about video surveillance at Gothenburg Central Station was insufficient. In particular, no clear information was provided to travelers arriving at the station by train, who thus entered the monitored area without prior notice. The authority recalled that information must be provided clearly and before individuals enter the concerned area, which was not the case for all access points.

Authority's decision

Consequently, the authority ordered the Police Authority to remedy the identified failures within three months.

Furthermore, the authority ordered the installation of additional information panels in the areas identified as deficient, to ensure that everyone, including travelers disembarking from trains, is informed before entering the monitored perimeter.

Lessons learned

This decision reminds that:

• Information about video surveillance must be provided before the data subject enters the monitored area, to allow them to adapt their behavior.
• The analysis of entry points to a video-surveilled area must be exhaustive and include all passage flows, including those that may seem less obvious such as train platforms for arriving travelers.
• Information signage must be placed in direct connection with the monitored area to be considered effective and compliant with the transparency principle.