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You Are What You Pay: Personal Profiling with Alternative Payment Data and the Data Protection Law

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  • Pauline Affeldt
  • Ulrich Krüger

Abstract

The global trend toward cashless payment started well before the corona pandemic. Along with it, investors in the data-driven tech industry are inspired by the promise of targeted behavioral scoring based on big data. It seems economically tempting to combine these two trends by using all data generated by the payment services to create personal profiles. However, this business model conflicts with the individual’s right of in- formational self-determination and raises questions regarding inaccuracies, discrimination, and the non-transparency of the algorithms underlying these profiles. Our article provides a short overview over the recent economic developments in the financial service industry and a legal assessment in light of the GDPR. Not everything that is feasible with big data scoring using alternative payment data is legally allowed in Europe. Nevertheless, traditional banks could have the opportunity to improve their internal credit scoring systems and use individual customer profiles to further market their financial services. Nicht erst seit der Corona Pandemie gibt es weltweit den Trend zum bargeldlosen Zahlungsverkehr. Zudem beflügelt die Vorstellung eines zielgenauen Behavioral (Big Data) Scoring die Fantasien von Investoren in der Datentechnologiebranche. Es scheint ökonomisch verführerisch, beide Trends zusammenführen, wenn man alle Daten aus dem Zahlungsverkehr für ein persönliches Profil auswerten würde. Dieses Geschäftsmodell liegt jedoch mit dem Recht des Einzelnen auf informationelle Selbstbestimmung im Konflikt und wirft Fragen auf im Hinblick auf Ungenauigkeit, Diskriminierung und Intransparenz. Unser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die ökonomische Entwicklung des Sektors und eine rechtliche Bewertung insbesondere aus Sicht der europäischen Datenschutz-Grundverordnung. Nicht alles was im Big Data Scoring mit alternativen Zahlungsdaten möglich sein könnte, ist in Europa auch rechtlich zulässig. Vor allem für die „klassischen“ Banken könnte sich gleichwohl eine Möglichkeit eröffnen ihre internen Credit Scoring Systeme zu verbessern und mit angepasst-individuellen Kundenprofilen weitere ihrer Finanzdienstleistungen zu vertreiben.

Suggested Citation

  • Pauline Affeldt & Ulrich Krüger, 2020. "You Are What You Pay: Personal Profiling with Alternative Payment Data and the Data Protection Law," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 89(4), pages 73-88.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwvjh:89-4-6
    DOI: 10.3790/vjh.89.4.73
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    Keywords

    alternative payment data; personal profiling; credit scoring; GDPR; data protection law;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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