The GDPR art. 9 takes special care of so called special categories of personal data (in Dutch: bijzondere persoonsgegevens), because processing these data may lead to discrimination or exclusion. Processing these is in principle forbidden, though there are several exceptions to this ban. If you plan to process one or more of these types of personal data, please ask for support from your security/privacy officer. The following special categories of personal data can be distinguished:
Personal data revealing:
- racial or ethnic origin (this may include nationality, if it is used to distinguish groups of people),
- political opinions,
- religious or philosophical beliefs, or
- trade union membership,
and also:
- genetic data,
- biometric data, but only if it is used for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person,
- data concerning health (interpreted widely, e.g. also indicative medical data),
- data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.