Since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) five years ago, data protection breaches in the EU have become a hot potato not only legally but also financially. In this blog post, we take a look at the latest developments in the area of DSGVO fines.

The 4 billion euro anniversary.

The total amount of fines imposed under the GDPR has passed the impressive threshold of €4 billion. This shows that more than 2000 proceedings have been opened by the European supervisory authorities.

Meta in the crosshairs

Interestingly, Meta, the parent company of platforms like Facebook and Instagram, has to pay over half of this amount alone. In one case alone, Meta was fined a record €1.2 billion for not having a sufficient legal basis for its data processing practices. Other fines drove the total even higher.

The top 10 data breaches

Meta is not the only company that has had to pay hefty fines. Amazon and Google are also among the ten highest individual fines. Amazon in particular was fined €746 million by the Luxembourg regulator.

The debate continues

While some see the size of the fines as a necessary deterrent, there is also criticism. Many civil liberties organizations criticize the different application of the GDPR in different member countries. Different interpretations and national laws can lead to significant differences in the penalties imposed. This not only poses a challenge for companies, but also undermines confidence in the equality of the legal system.

Looking to the future

The EU Commission recognizes these problems and plans to standardize the handling of cross-border data protection cases. This would be a step in the right direction to provide greater clarity and fairness in relation to data protection breaches.Data protection remains a key concern in our digital world. It is important that companies take the privacy of their users seriously and act accordingly. The high fines under the GDPR are a clear sign that data protection breaches should not be taken lightly.