Swedish insurer discloses customer data to Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Linkedin

During an internal audit, the Swedish insurer Folksam discovered a leak of personal data of about one million customers to its digital partners Facebook, Google, Microsoft and its subsidiary Linkedin.

The company is believed to have accidentally given access to its database comprising social security numbers, banking transactions and information on women who underwrote pregnancy covers. The insurance company directly asked the American giants to delete all the data. The Swedish company says that the purpose of sharing data with the four technology companies was to analyse and provide customers with personalized offers.

The Swedish data protection authority could impose a fine of 4% of Folksam's turnover if it judges that the insurer did not sufficiently protect its insured’s personal data.

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