Moderate
Investigation
Announced
Austria · Jun 4, 2024
noyb files complaints urging Austrian DSB to investigate Microsoft 365 Education for GDPR violations affecting children
noyb has lodged two complaints with Austria's data protection authority alleging that Microsoft 365 Education breaches GDPR rights of minors by shifting responsibility to schools, providing vague privacy information, and tracking users…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Interpretation
Published
European Union · Apr 25, 2024
CJEU Advocate General says Facebook must limit personal data for ads under GDPR data‑minimisation
The Advocate General’s opinion interprets Article 5(1)(c) GDPR to require Meta to restrict the use of personal data for targeted advertising by time, type and source. It also addresses purpose‑limitation, stating that publicly disclosed…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Interpretation
Published
European Union · Apr 17, 2024
EDPB opinion bars Meta from using 'Pay or Okay' consent model
The European Data Protection Board issued an opinion stating that Meta may not rely on a pay‑or‑consent scheme to process personal data for behavioural advertising. The decision requires Meta to offer a genuine opt‑in choice rather than a…
European Data Protection Board · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Court ruling
Decided
European Union · Apr 9, 2024
CJEU ruling in July 2023 declares Meta's data handling illegal, prompting pay‑or‑consent model
A Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in July 2023 found Meta's handling of user data illegal. In response, Meta introduced a paid subscription in November 2023 that forces users to either pay or consent to tracking for targeted…
Moderate
Guidance
Announced
European Union · Mar 19, 2024
EDPB to issue binding opinion on Meta's 'Pay or Okay' consent model
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) plans to issue a binding opinion on the legality of Meta's "Pay or Okay" system that charges users to refuse tracking. The opinion could legitimize the practice across the EU, threatening the GDPR…
European Data Protection Board · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Guidance
Announced
European Union · Feb 16, 2024
28 NGOs urge EU Data Protection Board to reject Meta's 'Pay or Okay' consent model
A coalition of 28 NGOs, including Wikimedia Europe, Bits of Freedom and the Norwegian Consumer Council, sent a joint letter to the European Data Protection Board requesting a binding opinion on Meta's "Pay or Okay" system, which forces…
European Data Protection Board (EDPB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Data protection authority action
Published
DE-BAVARIA · Feb 5, 2024
Bavarian DPA declares CRIF‑Acxiom data trading illegal under GDPR
The Bavarian data protection authority ruled that credit reference agency CRIF illegally purchased personal data from address trader Acxiom and breached GDPR purpose‑limitation and information duties. The decision follows a similar…
Bavarian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Pending
European Union · Jan 28, 2024
Survey finds 74% of insiders say authorities would find GDPR violations in average EU company
A noyb survey of over 1,000 data‑protection professionals reports that 74% believe authorities would discover relevant GDPR violations during on‑site inspections. Respondents cite lack of clear DPA decisions, fines, and public enforcement…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Filed
Austria · Jan 11, 2024
Meta sued for charging users to withdraw consent in Austria
Noyb filed a complaint with the Austrian Data Protection Authority alleging that Meta forces users to pay up to €251.88 per year to withdraw consent for tracking. The complaint cites Article 7 of the GDPR, which requires withdrawal to be…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Court ruling
Decided
European Union · Dec 7, 2023
CJEU rules automated credit scoring violates GDPR and expands judicial review of DPAs
The Court of Justice of the European Union issued two judgments: one confirming national courts can fully review DPA decisions, and another finding that automatically calculated credit scores breach Article 22 GDPR. The rulings require…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Lawsuit filed
Filed
Austria · Dec 4, 2023
noyb sues CRIF and AZ Direct for illegal secret data processing in Austria
noyb filed a lawsuit in the Vienna Regional Court on behalf of seven individuals alleging that CRIF GmbH and address trader AZ Direct secretly trade personal data of millions of Austrians for credit scoring. The Austrian Data Protection…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
Austria · Nov 28, 2023
noyb files GDPR complaint against Meta over “Pay or Okay” tracking fee
noyb lodged a complaint with the Austrian Data Protection Authority alleging that Meta’s practice of charging users up to €251.88 a year to avoid personalized advertising violates GDPR consent requirements. The complaint references the…
Austrian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Nov 16, 2023
noyb files complaint with EDPS over EU Commission’s political micro‑targeting ads on X
noyb lodged a complaint with the European Data Protection Supervisor alleging the EU Commission used unlawful micro‑targeting on X to promote its chat‑control proposal. The ads targeted users based on political views and religious beliefs…
European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Lawsuit filed
Filed
DE-HE · Oct 24, 2023
Acxiom sues German DPA to block noyb’s access to GDPR complaint files
Acxiom filed an interim injunction request with the Wiesbaden Administrative Court to prevent the Hessian data protection authority from granting noyb access to the case file concerning its alleged illegal sale of personal data to CRIF.…
Hessian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Interpretation
Announced
European Union · Oct 3, 2023
Meta proposes 'Pay for your Rights' model charging EU users €160/year for non‑consent
Meta plans to charge EU users €160 per year if they do not consent to the processing of their personal data on Facebook and Instagram. The proposal references an obiter dictum from the CJEU case C‑252/21 that an alternative to ads may be…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
Decided
Norway (EEA) · Sep 29, 2023
Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board upholds €5.8 million fine against Grindr
The Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board confirmed the Norwegian Data Protection Authority's fine of NOK 65 million against the dating app Grindr for sharing sensitive personal data with third parties. The fine, approximately €5.8 million…
Norwegian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Filed
France · Sep 14, 2023
noyb files three complaints in France alleging illegal data sharing by Fnac, SeLoger, MyFitnessPal apps
noyb lodged complaints with the French data protection authority (CNIL) against the mobile apps of Fnac, SeLoger and MyFitnessPal, alleging they collect and share personal data without user consent. The complaints cite violations of the…
CNIL · ePrivacy Directive
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Aug 31, 2023
noyb files complaints against Fitbit in Austria, Netherlands, Italy over forced consent for data transfers
noyb lodged three complaints with the Austrian, Dutch and Italian data protection authorities alleging that Fitbit forces new EU users to consent to transfers of personal and health data to the United States and other countries. The…
Austrian Data Protection Authority, Dutch Data Protection Authority, Italian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
High
Penalty
Published
European Union · Aug 23, 2023
EU data protection board draft decision imposes €390 million fine on Meta for forced consent
In December 2022, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) published a draft decision in the “forced consent” case against Meta, finding the company's practices violated the GDPR. The decision resulted in a €390 million fine. The case…
European Data Protection Board · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Aug 1, 2023
Meta to switch to consent for behavioral ads after EU litigation
Meta announced it will seek user consent before showing behavioral ads in the EU and Switzerland, changing its legal basis from legitimate interest to consent. The move follows litigation by noyb, decisions by the EDPB and the CJEU, and a…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation