Privacy activists warn against removing compensation for data protection breaches

 

The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a non-binding opinion, which privacy advocates fear could further limit users’ possibilities to enforce their privacy rights under the GDPR. 

According to the opinion delivered last week, Europeans would hardly get compensated if their rights are violated under the General Data Protection Regulation, even though the EU’s data protection rulebook foresees a claim for non-material damages. 

“We have a massive enforcement gap in the GDPR. At the same time, it seems like the opinion entertains any argument to shield the industry from enforcement. This is a very problematic approach coming from the Court of Justice,” lawyer and privacy activist Max Schrems said in a statement on Thursday (13 October).  (...)