SBB wants to use app customer data for personalized advertising
In the future, SBB wants to evaluate customer data from the timetable app in order to display "target-group-specific advertising". Storing ticket data such as departure and destination locations as well as class could be tricky for data protection reasons.
SBB wants to implement the planned expansion this year, as SBB media spokesman Daniele Pallecchi said in response to a query from the sda news agency. He confirmed a corresponding report in the newspaper Schweiz am Wochenende.
Since the location is continuously localized by the app, location-specific advertising can be adapted in the future when traveling through Switzerland. According to Schweiz am Wochenende, a first-class passenger entering Lucerne could receive a recommendation for a concert at the KKL Culture and Convention Center, while second-class passengers would be suggested a visit to the Museum of Transport.
The sticking point in terms of data protection is that the advertising function and the collection of data are automatically switched on when the T&Cs are accepted. However, SBB does not see this as a problem any further. "The law is complied with by SBB at all times, and the federal data protection commissioner also monitors this," says Pallecchi. SBB is also in contact with the data protection officer regarding the expansion planned for this year.
Receiving advertising voluntary according to SBB
In addition, the receipt of advertising is voluntary. The customer has the option of turning off the advertising in the app at any time. SBB also does not believe in the term "personalized advertising". It is merely target-group-specific advertising, as the data is anonymized at all times, said Pallecchi. Already today, timetable queries are collected on the SBB website and on SBB's free Wifi, and "target-group-specific" advertising is displayed in addition. Customers can be reached with advertising around 12 million times a week, SBB calculates. Most of them - five million - are reached via the mobile app. SBB now hopes that personalized advertising will open up new market opportunities there.
SBB is already courting advertising customers on the Internet in a YouTube video. On its marketing website, it writes: "With a placement in SBB Mobile, you can reach your customers on the go.
Only new version affected
SBB launched a redesigned version of the SBB mobile app in November last year. Travel data would only be collected on the new version; older versions of the app are not affected, according to SBB. SBB was last reprimanded by the data protection commissioner a year ago for storing control data related to the "SwissPass." After a check, the time, train number and pass number had initially been stored in the so-called control database for ninety days. SBB and the Association of Public Transport (VöV) had to stop the practice and delete the data. With the help of such data, VöV and SBB could have created movement profiles of people, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) had publicly criticized at the time. (SDA)
