Risks
Penalties
Being non-compliant with privacy rules can be sanctioned with fines, imposed by authorities or courts. In case of severe violations, some breaches can even lead to imprisonment.
The maximum fines under the GDPR will be up to €20 million or 4% of the annual turnover of a company. As can be seen from the significant number of security breaches involving personal data, many organizations have not taken data security seriously. Therefore, it is very important to have GDPR-compliant measures and processes in place to minimize the risks of penalties.
Bad publicity
Most companies consider bad publicity as a higher risk than getting fined. Data authorities and the media may publish information about violations and due to recent scandals, customers and citizens are becoming more and more informed and sensitive to this subject. In Germany, companies like Lidl, Deutsche Telekom and Schlecker have been involved in data protection scandals.
Other risks
Depending on the country, authorities are empowered to intervene and freeze illegal processes.
Data Protection Authorities are entitled to check if you fulfill your legal obligations under the GDPR. Regular audits regarding compliance with the GDPR help minimize the risks and are available under our dedicated Services.