Tag: Spanish DPA

AEPD issues highest fine for GDPR violations

5. March 2021

The Spanish Data Protection Authority, the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD), imposed a fine of EUR 6.000.000 on CaixaBank, Spain’s leading retail bank, for unlawfully processing customers’ personal data and not providing sufficient information regarding the processing of their personal data. It is the largest financial penalty ever issued by the AEPD under the GDPR, surpassing the EUR 5.000.000 fine imposed on BBVA in December 2020 for information and consent failures.

In the opinion of the AEPD, CaixaBank violated Art. 6 GDPR in many regards. The bank had not provided sufficient justification of the legal basis for the processing activities, in particular with regard to those based on the company’s legitimate interest. Furthermore, deficiencies had been identified in the processes for obtaining customers’ consent to the processing of their personal data. The bank had also failed to comply with the requirements established for obtaining valid consent as a specific, unequivocal and informed expression of intention. Moreover, the AEPD stated that the transfer of personal data to companies within the CaixaBank Group was considered an unauthorized disclosure. According to Art. 83 (5) lit. a GDPR, an administrative fine of EUR 4.000.000 EUR was issued.

Additionally, the AEPD found that CaixaBank violated Art. 13, 14 GDPR. The bank had not complied with the information obligations since the information regarding the categories of personal data concerned had not been sufficient and the information concerning the purposes of and the legal basis for the processing had been missing entirely. What’s more, the information provided in different documents and channels had not been consistent. The varying information concerned data subjects’ rights, the possibility of lodging a complaint with the AEPD, the existence of a data protection officer and his contact details as well as data retention periods. Besides, the AEPD disapproved of the use of inaccurate terminology to define the privacy policy. Following Art. 83 (5) lit. b GDPR, a fine of EUR 2.000.000 was imposed.

In conclusion, the AEPD ordered CaixaBank to bring its data processing operations into compliance with the legal requirements mentioned within six months.

Spain imposes fine against Facebook

13. September 2017

The Spanish Data Protection Authority imposes a fine of €1,2m against Facebook. The social media network collects Personal Data of the users without a permission for this.

The responsible Data Protection Authority considers that Facebook collects personal information like gender, religious attitudes, personal preferences and personal beliefs without informing the persons concerned about the concrete use of this data.

The Data Protection Authority criticizes the unclear wording of Facebooks privacy policy. Moreover Facebook uses the personal data for advertising purposes without a permission. This constitutes a breach against Spanish Data Protection law.

Furthermore Facebook recognizes as well third party pages the user is referred if he clicks on links and illegally tracks visitors who are not Facebook users.

Finally is criticized that Facebook does not remove data, if a user unsubscribe the network. The collected information is stored for month even if the user terminates its account.

Not only Spain started an investigation against Facebook and imposes a fine as well as Spain also Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands are investigating against Facebook due to breaches against the local Data Protection law.