• Mehr als 3 Millionen Wörter Inhalt
  • |
  • info@itmedialaw.com
  • |
  • Tel: 03322 5078053
SAVED POSTS
Rechtsanwalt Marian Härtel - ITMediaLaw

No products in the cart.

  • en English
  • de Deutsch
  • Informationen
    • Ideal partner
    • About lawyer Marian Härtel
    • Quick and flexible access
    • Principles as a lawyer
    • Why a lawyer and business consultant?
    • Focus areas of attorney Marian Härtel
      • Focus on start-ups
      • Investment advice
      • Corporate law
      • Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and Games
      • AI and SaaS
      • Streamers and influencers
      • Games and esports law
      • IT/IP Law
      • Law firm for GMBH,UG, GbR
      • Law firm for IT/IP and media law
    • The everyday life of an IT lawyer
    • How can I help clients?
    • Testimonials
    • Team: Saskia Härtel – WHO AM I?
    • Agile and lean law firm
    • Price overview
    • Various information
      • Terms
      • Privacy policy
      • Imprint
  • Services
    • Support and advice of agencies
    • Contract review and preparation
    • Games law consulting
    • Consulting for influencers and streamers
    • Advice in e-commerce
    • DLT and Blockchain consulting
    • Legal advice in corporate law: from incorporation to structuring
    • Legal compliance and expert opinions
    • Outsourcing – for companies or law firms
    • Booking as speaker
  • News
    • Gloss / Opinion
    • Law on the Internet
    • Online retail
    • Law and computer games
    • Law and Esport
    • Blockchain and web law
    • Data protection Law
    • Copyright
    • Labour law
    • Competition law
    • Corporate
    • EU law
    • Law on the protection of minors
    • Tax
    • Other
    • Internally
  • Podcast
    • ITMediaLaw Podcast
  • Knowledge base
    • Laws
    • Legal terms
    • Contract types
    • Clause types
    • Forms of financing
    • Legal means
    • Authorities
    • Company forms
    • Tax
    • Concepts
  • Videos
    • Information videos – about Marian Härtel
    • Videos – about me (Couch)
    • Blogpost – individual videos
    • Videos on services
    • Shorts
    • Podcast format
    • Third-party videos
    • Other videos
  • Contact
Kurzberatung
  • Informationen
    • Ideal partner
    • About lawyer Marian Härtel
    • Quick and flexible access
    • Principles as a lawyer
    • Why a lawyer and business consultant?
    • Focus areas of attorney Marian Härtel
      • Focus on start-ups
      • Investment advice
      • Corporate law
      • Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and Games
      • AI and SaaS
      • Streamers and influencers
      • Games and esports law
      • IT/IP Law
      • Law firm for GMBH,UG, GbR
      • Law firm for IT/IP and media law
    • The everyday life of an IT lawyer
    • How can I help clients?
    • Testimonials
    • Team: Saskia Härtel – WHO AM I?
    • Agile and lean law firm
    • Price overview
    • Various information
      • Terms
      • Privacy policy
      • Imprint
  • Services
    • Support and advice of agencies
    • Contract review and preparation
    • Games law consulting
    • Consulting for influencers and streamers
    • Advice in e-commerce
    • DLT and Blockchain consulting
    • Legal advice in corporate law: from incorporation to structuring
    • Legal compliance and expert opinions
    • Outsourcing – for companies or law firms
    • Booking as speaker
  • News
    • Gloss / Opinion
    • Law on the Internet
    • Online retail
    • Law and computer games
    • Law and Esport
    • Blockchain and web law
    • Data protection Law
    • Copyright
    • Labour law
    • Competition law
    • Corporate
    • EU law
    • Law on the protection of minors
    • Tax
    • Other
    • Internally
  • Podcast
    • ITMediaLaw Podcast
  • Knowledge base
    • Laws
    • Legal terms
    • Contract types
    • Clause types
    • Forms of financing
    • Legal means
    • Authorities
    • Company forms
    • Tax
    • Concepts
  • Videos
    • Information videos – about Marian Härtel
    • Videos – about me (Couch)
    • Blogpost – individual videos
    • Videos on services
    • Shorts
    • Podcast format
    • Third-party videos
    • Other videos
  • Contact
Rechtsanwalt Marian Härtel - ITMediaLaw

Employer must prohibit employees from using customer data on private communication devices

29. August 2023
in Data protection Law
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
0
dsgvo 3669706 1280
Key Facts
  • On 24.08.2023, the Baden-Baden Regional Court handed down an etatist ruling on GDPR and data processing.
  • A customer received a claim for information about the names of employees who processed her data privately.
  • The court found that private use of customer data violated company guidelines.
  • Employees are not considered recipients within the meaning of the GDPR if they follow instructions.
  • The customer can assert claims against the employees in order to verify the legality of the data processing.
  • The company was obliged to prohibit the use of personal data on private devices.
  • No appeal was allowed against the ruling, so the case is closed.

An interesting ruling that could affect startups in particular, which often work with “bring your own device” policies, was just issued by the Baden-Baden Regional Court.

In a judgment dated August 24, 2023 (Case No. 3 S 13/23), the court ordered a company to disclose to a customer the names of its employees who had privately processed customer data collected by the company. In addition, the company has been ordered to prohibit its employees from continuing to use the personal customer data on their private communication devices.

In its reasoning, the Regional Court stated that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides for the customer’s right to information pursuant to Art. 15 Par. 1 lit. c) GDPR, which in the present case also extended to the plaintiff customer’s employees of the defendant as recipients within the meaning of Art. 4 para. 9 GDPR to whom the applicant’s personal data have been disclosed and who have processed them privately, for example because they have used them on a private account of a social network. It is true that employees of a data controller are in principle not to be regarded as recipients. However, according to the case law of the European Court of Justice (ECJ, judgment of June 22, 2023, C-579/21, para. 75), this only applies if they process the data under the supervision of the controller and in accordance with its instructions. In contrast, in the case to be decided, at least one employee of the defendant had established contact with a customer on her own authority via her private account in order to clarify questions in connection with the purchase of a television. Since it is necessary for the customer to name the employees in order to verify the lawfulness of the processing of her personal data and, if necessary, to be able to assert further claims against the employees to which she is entitled under the GDPR, there is a right to information on the naming of the employees in the present case. A balancing of the rights and freedoms of the customer on the one hand and the employees on the other to be carried out leads to the fact that the use of the customer data on private accounts was carried out unauthorized by the employee of the defendant contrary to the instructions and the usual practices of the company, so that the interest of the employees to remain anonymous is not worthy of protection and has to take a back seat to the interests of the customer to assert her claims under the GDPR.

In addition, the customer is entitled to claim damages pursuant to §§ 823 para. 2, 1004 BGB analogous in conjunction with Art. 1 GDPR, the defendant company is entitled to prohibit the continued use of the plaintiff’s personal data collected by the defendant on private communication devices. The defendant is responsible as an indirect tortfeasor and is obligated to require the defendant’s employees who are subject to its instructions to refrain from the continued use of the customer’s personal data collected in the company in violation of instructions.

The district court did not allow an appeal against the judgment of August 24, 2023. There is therefore no right of appeal against the judgment.

To the background:

The customer had purchased a TV and a wall mount from the defendant company in June 2022. In this context, her name and address were recorded. A few days later, she returned the wall mount, and was inadvertently refunded the much higher purchase price for the TV.

When the oversight was noticed at the company, an employee of the company wrote a message to the customer via her private account on a social network on the same day, drawing attention to the oversight and asking for feedback. In addition, the customer also received another message via Instagram that same day, asking her to contact the Instagram user’s “boss” about this.

In her action against the company, the customer sought information on the employees of the defendant to whom her personal data had been disclosed or transmitted and also requested that the defendant be ordered to prohibit the employees from using the customer’s personal data on private communication devices.

The defendant company has countered the claim.

The district court dismissed the action. In its reasoning, it stated, among other things, that the right to information does not exist because employees of a company are not “recipients” within the meaning of Art. 15 Para. 1 lit. c) GDPR, Art. 4 No. 9 GDPR. The requested order to prohibit the defendant’s employees from using the customer’s personal data on her private communication devices was not justified.

The plaintiff’s appeal was directed against this, in which it continued to pursue its first-instance claims.

Marian Härtel
Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.

Tags: Competition lawPrivacy

Weitere spannende Blogposts

OLG Cologne: Jameda partially inadmissible

OLG Cologne: Jameda partially inadmissible
15. November 2019

To the overview The Higher Regional Court of Cologne issued an exciting ruling yesterday, which also provides information on the...

Read moreDetails

Laws vs. industry practice: How do you solve the balancing act?

Laws vs. industry practice: How do you solve the balancing act?
7. July 2023

The diversity of the IT and media industry As an attorney specializing in the IT and media industries, I have...

Read moreDetails

Corporate data protection: An often underestimated topic

Corporate data protection: An often underestimated topic
8. August 2023

In today's digital era, many of us have become accustomed to privacy statements and cookie banners. These are present almost...

Read moreDetails

Federal Constitutional Court on procedural equality of arms in competition law

Federal Constitutional Court: Right to Be Forgotten I
7. November 2022

In its decision, the 2nd Chamber of the First Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court did not accept for decision...

Read moreDetails

Never, Never, Never Sign a Contract Without a Lawyer

Never, Never, Never Sign a Contract Without a Lawyer
8. October 2019

I have been in the computer game industry for over 20 years and worked as a lawyer for over 12...

Read moreDetails

Birthday offer: First consultation at a special price

Birthday offer: First consultation at a special price
11. December 2019

Actually, as a birthday child you get gifts. But since I am completely satisfied, I distribute presents myself until the...

Read moreDetails

Federal Constitutional Court: Right to Be Forgotten I

Federal Constitutional Court: Right to Be Forgotten I
27. November 2019

Confernation The "Right to be Forgotten I" decision published today, which is complemented by the "Right to be Forgotten II"...

Read moreDetails

Esports tournament winnings: when and how are they taxable?

ce956c7a26bdb4f4bc2bf92a0fb460ec
13. August 2024

As a lawyer who represents many tournament organizers, esports players and esports teams, I realize that the issue of taxation...

Read moreDetails

Attention to Analytics without anonymization

Attention to Analytics without anonymization
28. June 2019

Actually, it is an old hat that you should not use Google Analytics in Germany without AnonymizeIP. There is a...

Read moreDetails
Q&A: Rechtsfragen für Spieleentwickler
Law and computer games

5‑Tage‑Guide: Gründung eines Spieleentwickler‑Studios

5. August 2025

Als Unterstützung für junge Studios fasst diese Serie die wesentlichen Schritte zur Gründung einer Spieleentwicklung zusammen. Der Leitfaden gliedert sich...

Read moreDetails
EU Inc: Warum Europa jetzt eine einheitliche Startup-Gesellschaft braucht

EU Inc: Warum Europa jetzt eine einheitliche Startup-Gesellschaft braucht

22. July 2025
BGH hält Uber Black für wettbewerbswidrig

BGH erschüttert Coachingbranche – Was gilt nun?

21. July 2025
Growth Hacking und virales Marketing – Juristische Anforderungen

Games-Förderung 2025 – endlich zurück!

20. July 2025
Eigentum an Software – Wem gehört eigentlich der Code?

Eigentum an Software – Wem gehört eigentlich der Code?

14. July 2025

Podcastfolge

Der unkonventionelle Anwalt: Ein Nerd im Dienste des Rechts

Der unkonventionelle Anwalt: Ein Nerd im Dienste des Rechts

25. September 2024

In dieser fesselnden Episode des Podcasts "Der Unkonventionelle Anwalt" tauchen wir ein in die Welt eines Juristen, der die traditionellen...

Read moreDetails
Rechtliche Herausforderungen und Chancen durch KI-Influencer und virtuelle Mitarbeitende

Rechtliche Herausforderungen und Chancen durch KI-Influencer und virtuelle Mitarbeitende

19. April 2025
Rechtssichere Influencer-Agentur-Verträge: Strategien zur Vermeidung unerwarteter Kündigungen

Rechtssichere Influencer-Agentur-Verträge: Strategien zur Vermeidung unerwarteter Kündigungen

19. April 2025
8315f1ef298eb54dfeed2f5e55c8b9da 1

Erste Testfolge des ITMediaLaw Podcast

26. August 2024
“Digitales Recht Entschlüsselt” mit Rechtsanwalt Marian Härtel

“Digitales Recht Entschlüsselt” mit Rechtsanwalt Marian Härtel

25. September 2024

Video

Mein transparente Abrechnung

Mein transparente Abrechnung

10. February 2025

In diesem Video rede ich ein wenig über transparente Abrechnung und wie ich kommuniziere, was es kostet, wenn man mit...

Read moreDetails
Faszination zwischen und Recht und Technologie

Faszination zwischen und Recht und Technologie

10. February 2025
Meine zwei größten Herausforderungen sind?

Meine zwei größten Herausforderungen sind?

10. February 2025
Was mich wirklich freut

Was mich wirklich freut

10. February 2025
Was ich an meinem Job liebe!

Was ich an meinem Job liebe!

10. February 2025
  • Privacy policy
  • Imprint
  • Contact
  • About lawyer Marian Härtel
Marian Härtel, Rathenaustr. 58a, 14612 Falkensee, info@itmedialaw.com

Marian Härtel - Rechtsanwalt für IT-Recht, Medienrecht und Startups, mit einem Fokus auf innovative Geschäftsmodelle, Games, KI und Finanzierungsberatung.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Informationen
    • Ideal partner
    • About lawyer Marian Härtel
    • Quick and flexible access
    • Principles as a lawyer
    • Why a lawyer and business consultant?
    • Focus areas of attorney Marian Härtel
      • Focus on start-ups
      • Investment advice
      • Corporate law
      • Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and Games
      • AI and SaaS
      • Streamers and influencers
      • Games and esports law
      • IT/IP Law
      • Law firm for GMBH,UG, GbR
      • Law firm for IT/IP and media law
    • The everyday life of an IT lawyer
    • How can I help clients?
    • Testimonials
    • Team: Saskia Härtel – WHO AM I?
    • Agile and lean law firm
    • Price overview
    • Various information
      • Terms
      • Privacy policy
      • Imprint
  • Services
    • Support and advice of agencies
    • Contract review and preparation
    • Games law consulting
    • Consulting for influencers and streamers
    • Advice in e-commerce
    • DLT and Blockchain consulting
    • Legal advice in corporate law: from incorporation to structuring
    • Legal compliance and expert opinions
    • Outsourcing – for companies or law firms
    • Booking as speaker
  • News
    • Gloss / Opinion
    • Law on the Internet
    • Online retail
    • Law and computer games
    • Law and Esport
    • Blockchain and web law
    • Data protection Law
    • Copyright
    • Labour law
    • Competition law
    • Corporate
    • EU law
    • Law on the protection of minors
    • Tax
    • Other
    • Internally
  • Podcast
    • ITMediaLaw Podcast
  • Knowledge base
    • Laws
    • Legal terms
    • Contract types
    • Clause types
    • Forms of financing
    • Legal means
    • Authorities
    • Company forms
    • Tax
    • Concepts
  • Videos
    • Information videos – about Marian Härtel
    • Videos – about me (Couch)
    • Blogpost – individual videos
    • Videos on services
    • Shorts
    • Podcast format
    • Third-party videos
    • Other videos
  • Contact
  • en English
  • de Deutsch
Kostenlose Kurzberatung