January 28, 2021
15:47
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Family Service is fined 50,000 euros for several breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation.
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The Data Protection Authority (APD) has imposed a fine of 50,000 euros on the company Family Service, a marketing company that distributes the famous “pink boxes”, these sponsored gift packages (samples, info sheets, etc.). She blames him several breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). “We hope that (this) decision will send a clear signal to companies active in data trading, so that such practices do not happen again”, emphasizes David Stevens, the president of the APD, in a press release.
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“We hope that (this) decision sends a clear signal to companies active in data trading, so that such practices do not happen again.”
David Stevens
President, APD
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Following a complaint against Family Service, the APD opened investigation on its personal data practices. It appeared that the Brussels company rented or sold personal data of customers for commercial purposes. Without this practice having been clearly communicated to customers beforehand. And as the pink boxes were distributed in particular via gynecologists or hospitals, customers could have believe that the initiative came from the public sector. And Family Service added to this confusion by presenting itself as a “national service for the promotion of children’s goods.”
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Salty fine
Customers therefore lost all control over their data due to this lack of information.
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The ODA took into account the high number of people concerned (21% of the Belgian population), the seriousness of the offense and the nature of the data processed (concerning among others children), for set the amount of the fine at a high level compared to the size of the company. Family Service achieved a turnover of 3 million euros last year and employs seven people.
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