Snapchat back in court over privacy violations
The Dutch Data Privacy Foundation has filed a lawsuit against Snapchat for the second time. The organization accuses the social media platform of illegally collecting and selling the data of Dutch users. According to the foundation, the company is violating European privacy legislation, the GDPR, by doing so.
The lawsuit focuses primarily on the way Snapchat processes personal information. The foundation argues that users are not sufficiently informed about what happens to their data. Furthermore, the platform allegedly creates advertising profiles without users having given explicit consent. This is in violation of the rules that apply in the European Union regarding the protection of personal data.
It is not the first time that Snapchat has come under fire in the Netherlands. The foundation previously initiated a similar procedure against the company. Because the plaintiffs believe there is still insufficient improvement visible in the platform's practices, they have decided to return to court. The foundation is demanding damages for the Dutch users who have become victims of this data usage.
Snapchat has not yet responded substantively to the new complaint. In general statements, the company often emphasizes that user privacy is a high priority. The court will now have to determine whether the foundation is in the right and whether the platform has indeed broken the law.
This case follows a broader trend in the Netherlands, in which foundations are increasingly holding large tech companies accountable for their privacy policies. For many Dutch users, it is an important signal that there is stricter oversight of consumer digital safety.