Revocation of consent for video publication only possible to a limited extent

In a recent ruling, the Koblenz Higher Regional Court (OLG) decided that consent given for the publication of videos can only be revoked under certain conditions. The ruling is of central importance for the understanding of declarations of consent in the digital age.

Background to the case

In the present case, the plaintiff and the defendant had a business relationship. The defendant published several videos on its YouTube channel showing the plaintiff as a speaker and participant at various events. The plaintiff had signed a declaration of consent for this.

The plaintiff later revoked his consent and demanded the deletion of the videos, which the defendant refused to do. The plaintiff then filed a lawsuit.

The decision of the OLG Koblenz

The Higher Regional Court of Koblenz ruled that the plaintiff was not entitled to injunctive relief as the consent had been effectively granted and revocation was not permitted. The declaration of consent was legally binding and revocation would only have been possible under certain conditions, which were not present here.

In addition, the court stated that the data processing took place in the context of an existing business relationship and therefore an alternative legal basis pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b) GDPR was present. Even in the event of an effective revocation, the processing would still have been permissible.

Significance for business relationships

The ruling underlines the importance of trust and legal certainty in business relationships. Declarations of consent are an important instrument for regulating cooperation between business partners and creating clarity regarding the use of image and video material.

It is therefore essential for companies to rely on precisely formulated contracts and declarations of consent. This is the only way to avoid later disputes and build long-term, trusting business relationships.

At the same time, business partners must be aware that consent that has been given cannot be withdrawn without further ado. Withdrawal is only possible under strict conditions, which should be clearly communicated in advance.

Conclusion

The decision of the Koblenz Higher Regional Court shows that consent to video publication is binding and can only be revoked under certain conditions. In business relationships in particular, it is therefore important to rely on clear contractual regulations and to carefully weigh up the consequences of consent. This is the only way to build stable and trusting partnerships in the long term.

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.