Moderate
Data protection authority action
Announced
Malta · May 17, 2023
Maltese DPA orders C-PLANET to disclose data source within 20 days or face fine
The Maltese Data Protection Authority (IDPC) ordered IT company C-PLANET to provide details on the source of personal data collected on voters within 20 days. Failure to comply will result in a proportionate and dissuasive fine under the…
Maltese Data Protection Authority (IDPC) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Guidance
Announced
European Union · Apr 4, 2023
noyb launches free tool for broad Facebook opt‑out under GDPR
The privacy NGO noyb released an online tool that lets users submit a broad objection to Meta’s processing of personal data for targeted advertising, which Meta bases on “legitimate interest”. The tool simplifies the GDPR right to object…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
In effect
European Union · Mar 30, 2023
Meta to rely on 'legitimate interest' for ads after EDPB decision
noyb won a series of complaints against Meta before the European Data Protection Board in December 2022. The EDPB decision required Meta to stop using the "necessary under contract" legal basis for advertising. Meta now plans to rely on…
European Data Protection Board (EDPB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Data protection authority action
Decided
Austria · Mar 27, 2023
Austrian DPA rules CRIF's processing of Austrian citizens' personal data illegal
The Austrian Data Protection Authority found that CRIF GmbH illegally processed addresses, dates of birth, names and other personal data of millions of Austrians obtained from AZ Direkt without consent or legal basis, ordering the deletion…
Austrian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Filed
Germany · Mar 21, 2023
noyb files GDPR complaints against German parties for political microtargeting on Facebook
noyb filed a series of complaints against several German political parties alleging unlawful political microtargeting on Facebook during the 2021 federal election. The complaints claim violations of the GDPR because the parties and…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Feb 28, 2023
noyb files complaints against data brokers for refusing cookie‑based authentication of GDPR access requests
noyb lodged a series of complaints against websites and data brokers that denied or complicated GDPR access requests by requiring additional identification beyond cookies. The complaints argue that, under GDPR and EDPB guidance, users…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Published
Ireland · Jan 11, 2023
Irish DPC fines Meta €60m for unlawful processing and €150m for transparency breaches
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) issued a final decision imposing a €150 million fine on Facebook for transparency failures and a €60 million fine on Meta for lacking a legal basis to process personal data. The decision also…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Jan 4, 2023
EU EDPB bans Meta from using personal data for personalized ads, imposes €390 million fine
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) decided that Meta (Facebook and Instagram) may not use personal data for personalized advertising and must obtain opt‑in consent. The decision also imposes a total fine of €390 million on Meta.…
European Data Protection Board (EDPB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Dec 6, 2022
EU Data Protection Board rules Meta's consent bypass for personalized ads illegal
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) decided that Meta cannot force users to accept personalized ads and must obtain a yes/no consent option. The decision overturns a previous draft decision by the Irish Data Protection Commission and…
European Data Protection Board (EDPB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Decided
Austria · Oct 20, 2022
Austrian DSB orders Profil.at to fix forced cookie banners after GDPR complaint
noyb filed a GDPR complaint against Profil.at for using a forced two‑step cookie consent mechanism. The Austrian Data Protection Authority issued a decision on 10 August 2023, confirming the violations and giving the site an eight‑week…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Court ruling
Published
European Union · Oct 13, 2022
CJEU Advocate General opinion may limit GDPR non‑material damages compensation
The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EU issued an opinion that could restrict the right to claim non‑material damages under the GDPR. The opinion questions whether Article 82 allows damages without material loss and suggests…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
Decided
European Union · Jul 21, 2022
6.3 million Euro fine imposed on Grindr for GDPR violations
noyb’s complaints resulted in a 6.3 million Euro fine against the gay dating app Grindr for breaching the GDPR. The fine was highlighted in noyb’s 2021 Annual Report.
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Filed
Malta · Apr 29, 2022
noyb files second complaint against C‑Planet for refusing data‑subject access to source of political data
noyb filed a second complaint with Malta's Information & Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) demanding C‑Planet disclose the original source of illegally processed voter data. The company previously received a €65,000 fine for illegal…
Information & Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Data protection authority action
In effect
France · Apr 5, 2022
CNIL rules use of Google Analytics illegal and orders French sites to comply with GDPR
The French data protection authority (CNIL) decided that using Google Analytics violates the GDPR and ordered three French website controllers to bring their practices into compliance. The decision follows earlier Austrian DPA rulings and…
CNIL · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Mar 14, 2022
Amazon workers file GDPR access requests to demand data transparency
Warehouse workers from Germany, UK, Italy, Poland and Slovakia filed data subject access requests under Article 15 GDPR to learn how Amazon processes their personal data. Amazon has one month to respond and disclose the processing…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
In effect
Malta · Jan 20, 2022
Malta data protection commissioner fines C-Planet €65,000 for illegal voter data collection
The Malta Information & Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) imposed a €65,000 fine on IT company C-Planet for unlawfully collecting personal data of 98% of Maltese voters, including political preferences. The IDPC found the processing…
Information & Data Protection Commissioner (IDPC) · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Filed
Luxembourg · Dec 22, 2021
noyb files complaint with Luxembourg CNPD over Amazon's automated e-recruiting decisions
noyb lodged a complaint with the Luxembourg data protection authority (CNPD) against Amazon for using automated decision‑making in its Mechanical Turk recruitment process. The complainant was denied access without explanation, and Amazon…
Commission Nationale pour la Protection des Données (CNPD) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
In effect
Norway (EEA) · Dec 15, 2021 · effective Dec 15, 2021
Norwegian DPA fines Grindr €6.3 M for illegal sharing of sensitive data
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority imposed a fine of 65 Mio NOK on Grindr for sharing sensitive personal data without valid consent. The authority found the consent mechanism invalid and highlighted the lack of a genuine opt‑out. The…
Norwegian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Announced
Germany · Dec 10, 2021
noyb and ZDF Magazin Royale seek data donors to enforce GDPR micro‑targeting ban
noyb and ZDF Magazin Royale are asking users of the "Who Targets Me" browser extension from the 2021 German federal election to donate their data. The aim is to find a case to enforce the GDPR prohibition on political micro‑targeting under…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Guidance
Published
Ireland · Dec 4, 2021
Irish DPC tried to embed Facebook consent bypass into EDPB Guidelines, but final 2019 guidelines omitted it
A letter shows the Irish DPC held ten meetings with Facebook and agreed on a GDPR bypass by moving consent into terms and conditions. The DPC then drafted EDPB guideline language to allow this approach, but other DPAs criticised it…
Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) · General Data Protection Regulation
