Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände – Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e. V. – Court Ruling (Germany, 2020)
A German court ruled that a consumer protection group found pre-ticked boxes for cookie consent were not allowed. This decision is important because it emphasizes that companies must get clear permission from users before tracking their online activity. Website operators should ensure their consent methods are compliant to avoid similar issues.
What happened
A court found that using pre-ticked boxes for cookie consent violated the requirement for affirmative opt-in consent.
Who was affected
Website visitors who encountered pre-ticked consent boxes when accessing sites that used cookies.
What the authority found
The court decided that pre-ticked boxes do not meet the GDPR's requirement for clear user consent.
Why this matters
This ruling highlights the need for businesses to implement clear and explicit consent mechanisms for cookies. Companies should review their consent practices to ensure compliance with privacy laws.
GDPR Articles Cited
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Original data from scraper before AI verification against source document.
National Law Articles
See facts at the GDPRhub entry to the "Planet 49 case" (C-637/1/). The second checkbox containing a preselected tick used by the defendant (Planet 49) read as follows: {| class="wikitable" !English translation !German original |- |‘I agree to the web analytics service Remintrex being used for me. This has the consequence that, following registration for the lottery, the lottery organiser, [Planet49], sets cookies, which enables Planet49 to evaluate my surfing and use behaviour on websites of advertising partners and thus enables advertising by Remintrex that is based on my interests. I can delete the cookies at any time. You can read more about this here.’ |"Ich bin einverstanden, dass der Webanalysedienst Remintrex bei mir eingesetzt wird. Das hat zur Folge, dass der Gewinnspielveranstalter, [Planet49], nach Registrierung für das Gewinnspiel Cookies setzt, welches Planet49 eine Auswertung meines Surf- und Nutzungsverhaltens auf Websites von Werbepartnern und damit interessengerichtete Werbung durch Remintrex ermöglicht. Die Cookies kann ich jederzeit wieder löschen. Lesen Sie Näheres hier." |} In the explanation linked to the word "here", it was pointed out that the cookies would receive a specific, randomly generated number (ID) associated with the registration data of the user who entered his/her name and address in the web form provided. If the user with the stored ID would visit the website of an advertising partner registered for Remintrex, this visit should be recorded, as well as which product the user is interested in and whether a contract is concluded. Following the CJEU's reasoning in its preliminary ruling, the BGH dismissed the defendants' appeal and, on the plaintiff's appeal, overturned the appellate judgment regarding cookie consent and restored the first instance conviction of the defendant: *The declaration of consent by the preselected tick box does not constitute an "informed indication of the data subject's wishes" within the meaning of Arti
Outcome
Court Ruling
A ruling by a national court on a data-protection matter.
Violations (1)
Cookie consent checkboxes are pre-selected by default, violating the requirement for active, affirmative consent.
Art. 4(11) GDPR
Related Cases (0)
No other cases found for Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände – Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e. V. in DE
This is the only recorded case for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Similar Cases
Enforcement actions with similar violations
Details
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände – Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e. V. - Germany (2020). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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