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Sinuna – a Finnish solution that offers secure login to a range of services

The Finnish Authentication Cooperative has launched a new service that makes it easier to use online services requiring login and protects the privacy of its users. The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) and Alma Media are the first to introduce the service. The Sinuna service has its roots in Sitra’s fair data economy projects.

Writer

Kirsi Suomalainen

Specialist, Communications and Public Affairs

Published

The new Finnish authentication service Sinuna (in Finnish) replaces passwords and offers a reliable and secure alternative for companies and consumers. What makes Sinuna exceptional is its transparency and commitment to handling personal data in accordance with the law.

Sinuna enables secure single login access to a wide range of content and services without having to use passwords. No personal data is sold or shared with third parties. Only the necessary information is collected on users, who are told how their data is processed and stored.

The new login service also has a wider societal goal of making the use of data a more integral part of corporate social responsibility. Companies can use Sinuna to provide a responsible login option for the customers who use their services. It is a good alternative to, for example, Google and Facebook login solutions.

“Sinuna is an important initiative by Finnish media companies. It is time that companies make the use of data part of their corporate social responsibility development, which is something we have also highlighted in Sitra’s Digipower investigation. Sinuna is an example of Finland being at the forefront of development and fair data economy thinking that values customer privacy and data protection,” says Kristo Lehtonen, Director of Sitra’s Fair Data Economy theme.

Sitra’s Digipower study used a test group to find out what kind of data is collected about users of online services. The aim was to use the results to develop solutions to achieve a fairer and more sustainable data economy. Sitra has co-funded the the Sinuna project as part of its Fair Data Economy theme.

The non-profit Finnish Authentication Cooperative was founded in September 2021, with Yle Alma Media, Nixu and Ioxio as founding members.

Read more: Finnish Authentication Cooperative’s press release (in Finnish, 28 March 2023).

The pilot phase of the Sinua login service did not meet its objectives and it was decided to discontinue it. The need for a social data-driven and independent login solution remains. The Finnish Authentication Cooperative will continue to operate and a relaunch of the service is possible in the future if circumstances change and demand for the login service increases.

Read more: Finnish Authentication Cooperative’s release (in Finnish, 18 January 2024).

Updated 18 January 2024 information about the discontinuation of the Sinuna login service.

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