Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · May 24, 2022
noyb warns of widespread GDPR non‑compliance and lack of enforcement after four years
The NGO noyb states that despite the GDPR becoming applicable on 25 May 2018, many companies continue to ignore users' rights and enforcement remains weak. It notes that about 50 cross‑country cases it filed have not yet received a final…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Settlement
Settled
Ireland · Apr 28, 2022 · effective Apr 28, 2022
Irish DPC to pay tens of thousands in costs to noyb over 47‑month delay in WhatsApp and Instagram GDPR cases
The Irish Data Protection Commission settled with privacy group noyb, agreeing to cover tens of thousands of euros in legal costs after a 47‑month delay in drafting decisions on WhatsApp and Instagram cases. The delay contravenes GDPR…
Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Mar 4, 2022
noyb launches second wave of GDPR complaints against deceptive cookie banners
noyb sent 270 draft complaints to website operators whose cookie banners violate the GDPR, offering a 60‑day grace period before filing formal complaints. If companies do not fully comply, noyb will file complaints with DPAs, which may…
Data Protection Authorities · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Jan 23, 2022
noyb reports low GDPR enforcement rates on Data Protection Day
noyb disclosed that only 15% of its 51 GDPR complaints were decided within a year and no pan‑European case has been resolved under the one‑stop‑shop mechanism. The organization highlights delays across DPAs, including a three‑year‑plus…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Published
European Union · Jan 11, 2022
EDPS reprimands European Parliament for illegal EU‑US data transfers via Google and Stripe
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued a decision reprimanding the European Parliament for violating data protection law on its COVID‑testing website. The use of Google Analytics and Stripe was found to breach the CJEU's…
European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) · 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
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
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
Ireland · Oct 15, 2021
Irish DPC orders noyb to remove draft decision from website
The Irish Data Protection Commission sent a take‑down request to privacy activist group noyb on 14 Oct 2021, ordering removal of a draft decision that allegedly strips Facebook users of GDPR rights. noyb refused, citing Austrian law and…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Aug 13, 2021
noyb files complaints against cookie paywalls of seven German and Austrian news sites over unlawful consent
noyb filed complaints against the cookie paywalls of SPIEGEL.de, Zeit.de, heise.de, FAZ.net, derStandard.at, krone.at and t-online.de, arguing that the "pay or okay" model violates the GDPR's requirement for freely given consent. The…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Aug 10, 2021
noyb files 422 GDPR complaints over deceptive cookie banners
noyb filed 422 formal GDPR complaints with data protection authorities in ten EU countries concerning dark‑pattern cookie banners. After a warning phase, 42% of identified violations were remedied, but 82% of the 516 sites still breach the…
Data Protection Authorities · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Court ruling
Decided
Austria · Jul 20, 2021
Austrian Supreme Court refers Facebook case to CJEU over consent vs contract and awards €500 symbolic damages
The Austrian Supreme Court (OGH) referred four questions to the Court of Justice of the EU concerning Facebook's reliance on contract instead of consent under the GDPR. In a partial judgment, the court awarded Max Schrems €500 for lack of…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Pending
European Union · Jul 19, 2021
noyb reports 2.5‑year delay in GDPR access‑request complaints against streaming services
In January 2019 noyb filed complaints against eight streaming services for failing to comply with the GDPR right of access. After two and a half years only one complaint was resolved after noyb took the responsible authority to court. The…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Proposed regulation
Published
European Union · Jun 14, 2021
noyb and CSL propose Advanced Data Protection Control browser signal to replace cookie banners
noyb and the Sustainable Computing Lab released a technical proposal for an "Advanced Data Protection Control" (ADPC) browser signal. The signal would allow browsers to automatically convey user consent or opt‑in preferences to websites…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · May 31, 2021
noyb launches automated system, sends 500 draft GDPR cookie‑banner complaints across Europe
noyb sent more than 500 draft GDPR complaints to companies using unlawful cookie banners, offering a one‑month grace period before filing formal complaints. The NGO developed software to detect violations and generate complaints…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Court ruling
Pending
Austria · Mar 14, 2021
Austrian Supreme Court to consider referral of Facebook GDPR consent bypass case
The Austrian Supreme Court (OGH) has been asked to refer a case concerning Facebook's alleged bypass of GDPR consent rules to the CJEU. The dispute centers on Facebook's claim that a contractual duty to provide personalized advertising…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
In effect
Norway (EEA) · Jan 26, 2021
Norwegian DPA fines Grindr €9.63 million for illegal sharing of sensitive data
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority imposed a fine of 100 Mio NOK on Grindr for sharing personal and sensitive data without valid consent. The authority found Grindr's consent mechanism invalid and highlighted the company's lack of…
Norwegian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Jan 22, 2021
noyb files complaint against European Parliament over US data transfers and deceptive cookie banners
noyb filed a complaint with the European Data Protection Supervisor on behalf of six MEPs alleging illegal transfers of personal data to US providers Google and Stripe and misleading cookie banners on the Parliament's COVID‑19 testing…
European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Court ruling
Decided
Austria · Dec 29, 2020
Vienna Superior Court orders Facebook to pay €500 and grant full data access
The Viennese Superior Court ruled that Facebook must pay Mr. Schrems €500 in emotional damages and provide him full access to all personal data the company holds about him. The court held that Facebook does not need user consent under GDPR…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
In effect
France · Jun 19, 2020
French court upholds €50 million CNIL fine against Google
The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) imposed a €50 million fine on Google for insufficient information and lack of valid consent for personalized ads. The Conseil d’État confirmed the CNIL's decision and affirmed its jurisdiction…
CNIL · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
Austria · May 13, 2020
noyb files GDPR complaint against Google over Android Advertising ID tracking
noyb filed a formal GDPR complaint against Google for tracking users via the Android Advertising ID without a valid legal basis. The complaint was submitted on behalf of an Austrian citizen to the Austrian Data Protection Authority. GDPR…
Austrian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation