The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has resulted in fines for companies of more than €1.5 billion in the first two quarters of 2023. Since the legislation’s introduction in 2018, it has resulted in fines for businesses 1,679 times for a cumulative sum of almost €4 billion.
“The GDPR fines are significantly impacting how businesses operate and handle data. Companies must prioritise data privacy and security to avoid potential fines and reputational damage,” says Vilius Kardelis, Cybersecurity writer at Atlas VPN. “As we move forward, companies must continue investing in their data protection strategies and staying informed about any updates or changes to the GDPR.”
The months of January and May saw exceptionally high amounts of fines this year. The organisation issued €400 million worth of penalties in January and €1.2 billion in May. Meta Platforms was fined in both months and were the first and fourth largest GDPR fines to date.
Interestingly, the organization only issued €1.5 million in fines in March despite being the month 46 businesses received data violation penalties. In contrast, the GDPR issued 44 violations in June, with a total of almost €49 million in fines.
Spain has the most GDPR fines
In the first six months of 2023, the GDPR issued 237 fines, while the first six months of 2022 saw 239 fines. According to Atlas VPN, while all countries have data privacy issues, some seem more prone to violations. Spain boasts 689 GDPR fines consisting of more than €60 million. The country seems to receive twice as many violations as any other country. In contrast, Italy has accumulated 284 fines costing €133 million in total.
Germany has the third highest number of GDPR violations at 160, with penalties costing a cumulative €55 million. The average fine for a violation in Germany is €345K. Finally, Romania is the only other country with more than 100 GDPR fines. However, Romania’s penalty average is only €5,390.
By fining companies, the GDPR positively impacts how corporations handle users’ personal data. Securing data privacy is essential if a company wants to avoid a hefty fine.
