Fitness Center Elixia requires pictures of all its clients or gym doors close
Privacy|Elixia justifies the requirement by safety and prevention of abuse.
The abstract is made by artificial intelligence and checked by man.
Gym Elixia requires its client to take a photo at their reception by August 11.
Without the image, customers will not be able to get to the gyms in the future, says Aleksi Virkkunen, Elixia Country Manager.
Elixia justifies the requirement by safety and prevention of abuse.
Data Protection Ombudsman Anu Talus emphasizes that the number of people who access such personal data must be carefully delimited.
Gym Elixia pushes its customers to visit the chain reception. Without the picture, customers will no longer reach the gym.
The image is stored in Elixia’s customer system. When you log in to the gym, the picture and name are displayed on the computer. In this case, the receptionist can check that the right customer arrived in the gym. For example, group exercise instructors and personal trainers have access to information.
The chain requires that the photo be photographed at the reception. In connection with the descriptions, an identity document must be presented. So downloading your own image to the system is not enough.
Elixia justifies the description of customers by ensuring that the chain can ensure a « safe training environment ».
For photography Must go by August 11, or else the gates of Elixia gym will close, says the chain Country Manager Aleksi Virkkunen.
“Membership is not dismissed, but you just can’t get in,” says Virkkunen.
You can go to photograph yourself later, after which access to the gyms is again open.
According to Virkkunen, the requirement for a photo has long been in Elixia’s membership, but it has not been systematically required before.
The goal is to prevent abuse.
“Membership is personal and should not use anyone else. This is also a safety issue that we know who we have in the centers,” says Virkkunen.
According to Virkkunen, about one third of Elixia’s customers already have a picture of themselves in their membership information.
Elixia approached their customers on the shooting requirement this week. Has something changed when it is now necessary to require customers to make pictures of themselves?
Not really, Virkkunen says. For example, he says there have been no more abuse than usual and there are no other « acute challenges » in the background.
« Membership may be misused when the processes are automated, there are automatic gates, and so on. Technology will certainly develop even more in that direction. So now there are no real problems, but we are prepared for the future. »
But wouldn’t it be enough for customers to strengthen their identity when requested, for example, with an identity document?
« This is a faster way to see the name and picture of the (reception) screen when someone comes in. People may come in or in groups every second, and many are in a hurry. And we do not want to create such control that we will occasionally check their identities. »
According to Virkkunen, the images and other personal data of customers are processed in accordance with the GPDR of the General Data Protection Regulation and only access to those who manage member matters.
Data Protection Commissioner Anu Talus emphasizes that it is difficult to take a stand on Elixia without knowing the details. The key question is on which Elixia considers that taking pictures is necessary.
« In the case of preventing abuse, we would consider whether the company would have alternative ways to prevent abuse. In any case, the number of persons who have access to such personal information should be carefully limited. »
The competent authority is the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, as Elixia is a Norwegian company. As this is the processing of personal data in Finland, the Data Protection Officer would be involved in resolving the matter.
