53 Danish municipalities – Violation Found (Denmark, 2024)
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.
Fifty-three Danish municipalities were investigated for their use of Google Chromebooks and Workspace for Education. The investigation revealed that while they can process personal data for public tasks, they need to ensure compliance with data protection rules. This case serves as a reminder for public organizations to regularly assess their data practices.
What happened
The Danish Data Protection Authority investigated the municipalities for their use of Google services in schools.
Who was affected
Students and staff using Google Chromebooks and Workspace for Education in these municipalities were affected.
What the authority found
The authority found that the municipalities could process personal data for public interest tasks but needed to ensure proper data protection assessments were conducted.
Why this matters
This investigation emphasizes the need for public organizations to regularly evaluate their data processing activities. Schools and municipalities should conduct thorough assessments to ensure compliance with data protection laws.
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Entities Involved
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Automated check recorded — 9 April 2026.
Processing notes: articles corrected, national law identified, scope corrected.
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Following four previous decisions by the Danish DPA into the usage of Google Chromebooks and Workspace for Education by the municipality of Helsingor, the DPA began its investigation into 53 Danish municipalities, between 8 September and 24 October 2022, regarding their use of Google Chromebooks and Workspace for Education. The DPA requested the municipalities for further clarifications and also asked them to carry out a data protection impact assessment. On 12 September 2022, the DPA was informed by the KL (Local Government Denmark) to be representing the municipalities and that it would submit a joint response on behalf of all affected municipalities. On 30 June 2023, the KL provided the DPA with a complete response containing documentation by all municipalities. The DPA stressed that processing of personal data is lawful if done on the basis of Article 6(1) GDPR. Specifically, public authorities can process personal data to carry out a task in the public interest under Article 6(1)(e) GDPR, as in the present instance. Indeed, the DPA noted that under [https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2022/1396 section 2(1) and section 18(1) Folkeskoleloven (The Public School Act)], the municipalities, as part of their responsibility for primary and lower secondary schools, have the power to organise the teaching environment, such as select teaching and working methods, teaching materials, etc. However, during the investigation, the DPA found that from the students' usage of Google Chromebooks and Workspace for Education, Google received and processed for its own purposes data about the individual student's use of the tools, including information about the computer's settings, about the use of the tools, applications, and Chrome browser. Consequently, the DPA stated that the municipalities could not, under [https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2022/1396 section 2(1) and section 18(1) of the Public School Act], in conjunction with Article 6(1)(e) GDPR, share the students
Outcome
Violation Found
The DPA found a violation but did not impose a fine.
Related Enforcement Actions (0)
No other enforcement actions found for 53 Danish municipalities in DK
This is the only recorded action for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. 53 Danish municipalities - Denmark (2024). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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