Sekretessdata

Sekretessdata refers to information that is protected from disclosure by confidentiality rules established in law or contract. It includes data that must be kept secret to safeguard privacy, security, business interests, or public welfare, and can cover personal data as well as internal or strategic information.

In Sweden, secrecy rules are primarily set out in the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (offentlighets- och sekretesslagen, OSL). The law creates exemptions that allow authorities to withhold information from public access by invoking sekretess or sekretessbelagd information. The rules distinguish between general secrecy and more stringent forms of secrecy, and some data may be secret in all circumstances while others are secret only in specific contexts, such as health records, police investigations, or social services cases. Personal data remain subject to GDPR, but may be further protected by secrecy provisions in certain situations.

Handling sekretessdata requires careful governance. Access is restricted to individuals with a lawful basis and a defined purpose, and data must be stored securely, often with measures such as encryption and audit logging. Organizations typically implement data classifications, need-to-know access controls, retention schedules, and breach notification procedures to comply with secrecy and privacy requirements.

Common examples of sekretessdata include medical or patient records, social services case information, police or security-related information, and trade secrets or other confidential business data. The concept operates alongside but is not identical to personal data protection and is governed by both secrecy laws and data protection regulations.