And Finally…bank slammed for snooping on mortgage customers’ social media accounts

While the bank says the practise “helps us to understand your behaviour”, a report in the Irish Independent newspaper says the bank, which is 71 per cent owned by the Irish state and is also the country’s biggest lender, has been accused of spying on its customers.

The newspaper cites mortgage brokers who slammed AIB for playing “Big Brother with their social media information”.

Of particular concern to one broker is the worry that a potential customer may have their mortgage application turned down because of a social media post, for example in support of an anti-eviction protest or participation in an anti-capitalism event.

AIB is not the only bank to monitor social media but it it thought a consent clause in credit applications is a new development.

AIB defended its social media monitoring practises, stating that it complies with all data protection requirements and only monitors “personal information provided on AIB Group social channels to respond and deal with customer queries”.

The bank also added that it engages in “regular social listening” where it monitors trends and sentiment towards it brand on Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels. However, AIB stated that it never analyses individual customers’ social media accounts or uses that information to analyse individual’s behaviour.