Kela’s Customer Community

1. Name of community

Kela’s Customer Community ("Community") is an online platform for discussions.

2. Membership

Anyone wishing to become a member of the Community must agree to these rules. Members must be at least 16 years of age.

3. Research

Members of the Community may be invited to participate in customer research that Kela carries out. Invitations to participate in research are sent primarily by email. Members can participate in the research by signing in to the Community with their user ID and password. Some of the invitations are only sent to selected groups of members.

4. Participation

Only members of the Community may participate in research. Membership in the Community and participation in research are voluntary. Members are expected to reply truthfully, based on their own experiences and opinions.

5. Monetary compensation for participation in research

Kela does not provide monetary compensation to members who participate in research. The principal benefit of participation for the members is to help shape the development of Kela’s services. Participants may receive a reward in certain situations and research. Members choosing to participate in research are notified of the availability of a reward. Members of the Community shall cover any and all costs of their participation in the Community, such as having internet access and equipment, software and other equivalent costs.

6. Personal data

The replies received from Community members and other data obtained in the course of research are handled confidentially. Members’ contact details are handled only by Kela or by Pentagon Insight Oy or its subcontractor Bilendi Oy, which implement this service on Kela’s behalf. The contact details are not made available to any other parties. More information about the handling of members’ personal data in the Community can be found in the privacy statement for Kela’s Customer Community.

7. User ID and password

A personal user ID and password are required to participate in the Community. Each member can choose their user ID and password when first signing in to the Community. They can be changed in the Profile section of the Community. Members are responsible for the safe storage of their sign-in credentials.

8. Right to use Community content and materials

Kela has the right to use the data supplied by the members of the Community for the purpose of developing its services. The Community members’ rights with regard to their personal data are specified in the privacy statement. Each member is responsible for ensuring (i) that they are authorised to provide specific material to Kela via the Community, regardless of the format of the material; (ii) that the material provided does not infringe the rights of any third party or contain illegal elements; and (iii) that the material does not contravene the restrictions specified in section 9. Community material may only be used as part of Community activity. The members may not use the material outside the Community, nor may they allow any third party to have access to the material. Each member is responsible towards Kela and/or third parties for any direct or indirect damages resulting from a failure to comply with the provisions of this section.

9. Content restrictions

The content produced by members must be lawful and may not infringe anyone else’s rights. It is forbidden to upload, distribute or in any other way make available to the Community any content or data that references, contains or consists of (i) incorrect information, (ii) spam or trolling, (iii) solicitation, (iv) personal attacks on other Community members or others, (v) unlawful activity, or (vi) defamatory, indecent, offensive, blasphemous, discriminatory or threatening elements. All such content will be removed from the Community and the infringing members will be suspended or expelled from the Community.

10. Responsibilities

Kela is not responsible for the accuracy of the information provided by the members of the Community or for any deficiencies therein. Each member is responsible towards Kela and/or third parties for any direct or indirect damages resulting from a failure to comply with the terms and conditions laid out in these rules. Kela has made and will make available the Community and its content and functionalities, relying on both limitations to liability and the disclaimers presented here. Kela does not make any assurances or guarantees that access to the Community is uninterrupted or free from error.

11. Ending a membership

Participation in the Community is voluntary, and members can end their membership at any time. Members can end their membership in the Community’s Profile section, which features a button that can be clicked to leave the Community. Kela has the right to end a membership if a member has not participated in any Community activity in the last 6 months, if it suspects that the member’s account has been exposed to misuse by a third party, or if the member has violated the rules of the Community. Once a membership has ended, all personal data associated with it are deleted from the Community’s register, unless Kela is authorised under the law to retain the data for such purposes as investigating the non-compliance with these terms and conditions. However, replies to research questions are retained.

12. General provisions

Kela reserves the right to change the rules of Kela’s Customer Community. The Community rules are available in the Community. Members are also informed of any changes on the Community website.