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French Railway Company SNCF Must Not Ask Customers for Titles When Buying Tickets Online, EU’s Highest Court Rules

In a significant victory for LGBT+ rights, the European Union’s highest court has ruled that French railway company SNCF must not ask customers for their titles when buying tickets online. The decision was made in response to a complaint filed by French LGBT+ rights association Mousse, which argued that the practice was against the EU’s privacy rules.

The case began when Mousse challenged SNCF Connect’s online purchase process, claiming that it was against the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR requires companies to collect the least possible data about a data subject, and Mousse argued that asking users for a title, which corresponds to a gender identity, did not meet this requirement.

SNCF had argued that knowing the gender of the customer allowed it to personalize communications and adapt services, such as providing access to women-only carriages on night trains. However, the EU’s Court of Justice ruled that this was not a necessary requirement and that the company could choose to communicate with customers using generic, inclusive expressions that have no correlation with the presumed gender identity.

The court’s decision was based on an opinion from Advocate-General Maciej Szpunar, who held that “personalisation of the commercial communication based on presumed gender identity according to a customer’s title is not indispensable in order to enable a rail transport contract.”

Mousse welcomed the decision, saying that it was a major victory for LGBT+ rights throughout the EU. The association argued that the judgment would have direct effects and open the door to indirect effects that would herald major progress for LGBT+ rights.

FAQs:

Q: What was the issue with SNCF’s online purchase process?
A: SNCF’s online purchase process asked customers for their titles, which corresponds to a gender identity, which Mousse argued was against the EU’s privacy rules.

Q: What did SNCF argue in defense of its practice?
A: SNCF argued that knowing the gender of the customer allowed it to personalize communications and adapt services, such as providing access to women-only carriages on night trains.

Q: What did the EU’s Court of Justice rule?
A: The court ruled that SNCF must not ask customers for their titles when buying tickets online and that the company could choose to communicate with customers using generic, inclusive expressions that have no correlation with the presumed gender identity.

Q: What does this decision mean for LGBT+ rights?
A: The decision is a major victory for LGBT+ rights throughout the EU and is expected to have direct and indirect effects that will herald major progress for LGBT+ rights.

Conclusion:

The EU’s highest court has ruled that SNCF must not ask customers for their titles when buying tickets online, a decision that is a major victory for LGBT+ rights throughout the EU. The decision is a significant step forward in the fight for LGBT+ rights and is expected to have far-reaching implications for the protection of personal data and the promotion of inclusivity and diversity.