Private individual – €5,000 Fine (Germany, 2023)

€5,000Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz1 January 2023Germany
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Fine

General GDPR enforcement action

This case relates to broader data protection obligations, not specifically to cookie or consent banner compliance. It is not included in cookie statistics or the Risk Calculator.

A private individual in Germany was fined for using personal data from a video game opponent inappropriately. They found their opponent's address through a customer database and threatened to confront them. This case highlights the importance of respecting others' privacy, even in online gaming.

What happened

A private individual tracked down their video game opponent's address using a customer database without permission.

Who was affected

The opponent in the video game whose personal information was accessed and threatened.

What the authority found

The DPA ruled that the individual improperly used personal data, violating GDPR's requirement for lawful processing.

Why this matters

This case shows that individuals can be held accountable for misusing personal data, even in casual settings like gaming. It serves as a reminder for everyone to handle personal information responsibly.

GDPR Articles Cited

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Art. 6(GDPR)
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Art. 6(GDPR)

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Source verified 6 April 2026
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Full Legal Summary
Detailed

The DPA of Hamburg has imposed a mid-four-figure fine on a private individual for improper use of the personal data of an opponent in a video game. The case occurred on the live streaming platform Twitch, where the streamer obtained the real name of their opponent during a game. With this knowledge, the streamer used their professional access to a customer database to find out the opponent's address. They then announced that they would personally seek out their opponent.

Details

Fine Date

1 January 2023

Authority

Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz

Fine Amount

€5,000

Enforcement Tracker ID

ETid-2231

About this data

Data: CMS GDPR Enforcement Tracker
Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
AI-verified and classified

Cite as: Cookie Fines. Private individual - Germany (2023). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu

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