- Enforcing jurisdiction
- Germany · Geography does not establish applicable law.
- Confirmed applicable legislation
- No confirmed legal basis recorded.
- Privacy topics
Court case 2-03 O 282/19 – Court Ruling (Germany, 2020)
Privacy enforcement record
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A German court decided that a social media platform could block a user's account for not verifying their identity. The user failed to respond to a request for ID verification, which led to the account's deletion. This case emphasizes the importance of following platform rules for account security.
What happened
The court ruled that a social media platform was justified in blocking a user's account due to the user's failure to verify their identity.
Who was affected
The user of the social media platform, who did not verify their identity, was affected by the account block.
What the authority found
The court found that the platform had the right to terminate the user's account because the user did not comply with the verification requirements outlined in the terms of use.
Why this matters
This case reinforces that users must adhere to platform rules, especially regarding identity verification. It serves as a reminder for users to understand the terms of service to avoid losing access to their accounts.
Source checks
Linked-source text retrieved.
Automated check recorded — 18 March 2026.
Processing notes: articles corrected, national law identified, authority corrected.
Retrieved text may be a secondary summary or an announcement. These automated statuses do not establish that the original decision was read or that the record received an independent legal review. How we check sources
The defendant operates social media website (the Platform). According to the terms and conditions of the defendant, the use of the Platform is based on a one-time registration with valid identification. The plaintiff registered as a user of the Platform. The defendant transferred the plaintiff's account to account verification proceedings and requested the plaintiff to confirm the authenticity of his account by presenting a copy of his ID or picture, or by entering a confirmation code from one of his devices. The plaintiff did not answer the defendant's request. This is why the defendant blocked and deleted the account without giving any further reasons. Thereafter, the plaintiff tried to contact the defendant to restore his account, but did not succeed. Can the plaintiff claim to be able to enter into a contract with the defendant without verification of his identity according to the defendant's terms of use? Can the plaintiff maintain anonymity on the Internet according to section 13 (6) TMG, which provides for the anonymous use of telemedia services? Is section 13 (6) of the German Telemedia Act (Telemediengesetz - TMG) inapplicable now that the GDPR has become applicable? The court found that the defendant had a right to extraordinary termination because the plaintiff violated his obligations according to the terms of user conditions of the Platform. Specifically, the defendant does not know the plaintiff personally and concludes contracts with him only via the Internet. This is why the defendants may obtain knowledge of the identity of its contractual partner. However, the plaintiff is also free to not use the defendant´s service. The court concluded that the plaintiff has the right to register under a different name or to register in accordance with section 13 (6) of the German Telemedia Act under a pseudonym, and the defendant did not require the plaintiff to designate his profile with his own name, but only to disclose it to the defendant. Section 13 (6) of the German Telemedia Act (TMG) is not applicable in this case.
Outcome
Court Ruling
A ruling by a national court on a data-protection matter.
Related Cases (0)
No other cases found for Court case 2-03 O 282/19 in DE
This is the only recorded case for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Court case 2-03 O 282/19 - Germany (2020). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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