DEYDE DATACENTRIC, S.L.U – €42,000 Fine (Spain, 2025)

Institut per a la Cultura Democratica a L’era Digital (also known as Xnet) is a digital rights non-profit organisation. Xnet filed a complaint with the DPA on 27 December 2022, regarding the processing of personal data of self-employed people by both public authorities and private companies. One of the entities investigated by the DPA was DEYDE DATACENTRIC, S.L.U (the controller), a marketing company. The controller sells business and consumer databases for marketing purposes. One of the databases is sourced from the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, who received data from the Tax Authority based on a contract. The Chamber of Commerce provided private companies (such as Camerdata) with a database containing personal data such as self-employed persons’ Tax Identity Number (NIF in Spanish). Camerdata later transferred the data to the controller. According to Xnet, once someone registers as self-employed with the Tax Agency their personal data is treated as information of professional interest. This means that if it matches private information (e.g. if someone works from home), their data such as personal address is easily accessible on the Internet. If someone works from home, their personal address is easily accessible on the Internet. Financial information and legal incidents (including their credit scores and likelihood of nonpayment) are also available in some cases. This personal data can be processed and sold on the Internet by private companies. During its investigations, the DPA found that the controller had transferred the data of self-employed persons in 124 contracts between 2018 and 2024. The controller argued that it processed personal data lawfully; national law establishes a presumption of a legitimate interest legal basis (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR). Furthermore, the controller conducted a risk assessment before making the data available. The database in question is also no longer available on its website. The DPA first stated that Datacentric was the contro