Millions of Dutch internet users victim of unlawful collection and use of personal data

The Privacy Collective ‐ a foundation that acts against violation of privacy rights ­‐ is taking Oracle and Salesforce to Court. The foundation accuses the technology concerns of unlawfully collecting and processing data of millions of Dutch internet users. The foundation has launched a class action, a legal procedure in which compensation is claimed for a large group of individuals. It is the first time that this legal instrument is used in the Netherlands in a case of infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Christiaan Alberdingk Thijm, lead lawyer in the case: “This is one of the largest cases of unlawful processing of personal data in the history of the internet. Almost every Dutch individual who reads or views information online is structurally affected by the practices of Oracle and Salesforce. Practices that merely serve a commercial purpose."

Online shadow profile

The possibility to claim damages in a class action was recently created under Dutch law. ”Claiming damages in a class action is an important tool to ensure the enforcement of the GDPR,” says Joris van Hoboken, a board member of the foundation and professor in Information Law. “It gives the GDPR teeth.” The Privacy Collective calls upon individual consumers to register with the foundation in order to show their support. Based on the number of victims, the total extent of the damage could exceed 10 billion euros. Several organizations support The Privacy Collective's campaign, including Bits of Freedom, Qiy Foundation, Privacy First and Freedom Internet. The claims are being fully funded by Innsworth, a litigation funder. The organization’s funding enables the benefits of scaling common claims in a collective action, without any individual claimants being exposed to litigation costs. Inssworth finances a similar class action in England and Wales, which is currently being prepared.Oracle and Salesforce collect data from website visitors at any time and on a large scale. By combining this with additional information, they create a personal profile of each individual internet user. The millions of profiles are used, among other things, to offer personalized online advertisements and unlawfully shared with numerous commercial parties, including ad-tech companies. The tech giants collect their information using - among other things - specially developed cookies. Alberdingk Thijm: “Most people do not know that they have such an online 'shadow profile'. They don't know what it looks like and have certainly not given legitimate consent.” For the collection and sharing of personal data, Oracle and Salesforce are obliged to ask for permission under the GDPR. “These parties violate internet users' right to privacy. The right to protection of personal data and the right to protection of privacy are recognized as fundamental rights", says Alberdingk Thijm.

Class action

The possibility to claim damages in a class action was recently created under Dutch law. ”Claiming damages in a class action is an important tool to ensure the enforcement of the GDPR,” says Joris van Hoboken, a board member of the foundation and professor in Information Law. “It gives the GDPR teeth.” The Privacy Collective calls upon individual consumers to register with the foundation in order to show their support. Based on the number of victims, the total extent of the damage could exceed 10 billion euros. Several organizations support The Privacy Collective's campaign, including Bits of Freedom, Qiy Foundation, Privacy First and Freedom Internet. The claims are being fully funded by Innsworth, a litigation funder. The organization’s funding enables the benefits of scaling common claims in a collective action, without any individual claimants being exposed to litigation costs. Inssworth finances a similar class action in England and Wales, which is currently being prepared.

 www.theprivacycollective.eu

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