The Cost of Non-Compliance
Since GDPR came into effect, data protection authorities have issued billions of euros in fines. Examining these cases reveals common mistakes that organizations should avoid.
Notable GDPR Fines
- Meta (Ireland): €1.2 billion for improper data transfers to the US.
- Amazon (Luxembourg): €746 million for cookie consent violations.
- WhatsApp (Ireland): €225 million for transparency failures.
- Google (France): €90 million for cookie consent issues.
Common Violation Patterns
1. Consent Failures
Many fines stem from inadequate consent mechanisms, including pre-ticked boxes, bundled consent, and making consent withdrawal difficult.
2. Transparency Issues
Organizations fail to clearly explain how they use personal data, what third parties receive it, and how long it's retained.
3. Inadequate Security
Data breaches often reveal insufficient security measures, leading to fines for failing to protect personal data appropriately.
4. Data Subject Rights
Failing to respond to access requests, erasure requests, or other data subject rights within required timeframes.
Lessons for Your Organization
- Review consent mechanisms regularly
- Keep privacy notices clear and updated
- Implement robust security measures
- Establish processes for handling data subject requests
- Know where your data is stored and how it flows