Finland’s favourite type of pornography is fresh in the shops now.
@ 5:18 pm 
ÂÂ
Veropörssi, a list of names and incomes in newspaper format for 9,80. Sorry about the poor quality picture. It was taken yesterday.
Pornography is something that is normally very taboo to look at or talk about in normal everyday society, like at work, for example. There are some people who sell and publish it in order to make money. There are enough people who are excited about it and addicted to it to make it a very big industry. It makes a lot of money for those selling it and it entertains those consuming it - there is really no other use for it. It is actually considered by some to be quite dangerous and the industry has a reputation for being quite “dirty”. Acquiring pornographic material is often done in a coercive manner, that is against the wishes of the subject of the pornography. Often, it is very damaging to the subject. Images of people exposing their reproductive organs, and performing sexual acts is something that belongs in the arena of private life, most agree. It is not information that should be sold or published, at least not without consent.
In Finland, material that is very taboo to bring up in everyday Finnish society is nicely packaged up, sold to the press for money, published or released. It excites many people and many are very addicted to it. It is also damaging to many people and puts some into danger. It is done without the permission of the subject. It is there purely to make money for those publishing it and to entertain those buying it and has no other real use. And, in this case, this industry is run and sanctioned by the government. It is called “public tax records” or “julkiset verotiedot” - in other words, lists of people’s names, salaries, captital incomes, and municipalities where they live. This is an industry that is quite comparable to the pornography industry. And many feel violated by it.
Is there anything that can be done about it? Yes, for certain. If you feel like your own rights are violated in any way by this, it is important to file a complaint to the European Commission. Let them know that you feel your rights are violated - that is what they are there for. Let a parlaiment member know as well. You don’t need to quote any laws, they are aware of this issue here in Finland already. Complaints to the EC will actually help the Finnish government establish a solid foundation for new legislation, a foundation which will weather the changing political fashions and the complaints from people who feel like it is their right to monitor other peoples’ financial matters.ÂÂ
Hei Pelle,
There is a slightly bigger story happening today…
Comment by Dave the Mistranslator — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
Dave, got a hint? Something I should blog about? I looked in hs.fi and saw that Tehy reached an agreement, in Norway someone was arrested to possibly prevent a massacre, morphine was found in an exhumed body in Nokia, the pharmacy workers are going on strike, Matti Venhanen got out of the hospital, French cook roasts a 550 kilo camel on a spit, etc.
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
Yeah the TEHY, which has been exhaustively talked about on here… Many of you guys saying that unions are crap and do nothing for the workers, but a little while ago they came to an agreement where all of the (note only) TEHY union workers will receive a 20-28 percent hike in salary over the next four years.
That’s how poorly unions work.
As for the camel roast, I might say that the basic indifference of the media about the 10,000 Bangladeshis killed in last week’s storm would be a bigger thing to talk about.
Comment by Dave the Mistranslator — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
Bad thing, that storm was.
I talked to a Bangladeshi fellow last night. He said his relatives are OK. Something needs to be done about Bangladesh. Each few years it gets badly hit by some natural disaster.
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 6:30 pm
That’s a good analogy—Finland’s publishing of people’s tax records for entertainment purposes is indeed pornography of sorts. Unfortunately, it’s very embarrassing for many people.
At least porn stars get paid for their efforts. People who live in Finland, and are subject to their private finances being exposed to the world, don’t get paid.
Comment by Kristian — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
Hei Phil,
Excellent analogy–exposure of personal income is a form of pornography, much like reality television, YouTube and gossip tabloid magazines. Unfortunately, such exposure of private citizens is becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the world–it seems a significant aspect of our global culture.
Comment by Dorothy — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 7:50 pm
#6: Indeed. As Scott McNealy, CEO of Sun Microsystems so eloquently put it: “Get over it”. You won’t hear Sirkuspelle complaining, though.
Comment by Freeridin' Franklin — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
Yeah Dave and we’ll see what we think of the unions when we’re all paying higher council taxes next year to compensate for this. Not only that but when our supposedly free public health system increases charges for visits. Ah the public system and unions, they deserve each other.
Comment by Punter — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
The idea that published tax records is like porno is something that this guy has written about as well. (Ilkka Lampi) I think he called it “veroporno” in one article. However, when I try to find it, I get a lot of Italian web pages it seems.
http://uutisblogi.blogit.kauppalehti.fi/2007/11/01/kenen-tuloja-kurkistelu-parantaa/
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 9:39 pm
@6 It was actually me, Sirkuspelle, that wrote this. In the case of reality tv, YouTube, and gossip tabloid magazines, the gossip or invasion of privacy wasn’t done by a government, while not giving any form or recourse or rights protection. Most people can avoid getting into YouTube or gossip tabloids if they want, but one will have great difficulty getting their personal data from the Finnish tax office protected, even if their life depends on it.
Comment by Sirkuspelle — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 9:44 pm
“…even if their life depends on it.”
It’s a really strange practice, when you consider all the criminal gangs out there, who prey on individuals. Letting people’s financial data be distributed freely makes it so much easier for them.
Comment by Anonymous — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 10:41 pm
I guess we can still call it “amusing oneself by abusing oneself”, even if there’s a tribunal to take an income complaint to.
Comment by Joe Noory — Mon, Nov 19th, 2007 @ 11:50 pm