AEPD (Spain) - PS-00304-2024
Spain's AEPD fines El Español €20,000 for publishing identifiable video of assault victim and minor assailant.
Spain's Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has fined the digital newspaper 'El Español' €20,000 for publishing an article that included an identifiable video of an assault victim and a minor assailant. The agency found this to be a violation of the data minimization principle under GDPR, as the identification of the individuals was unnecessary for reporting the incident. The newspaper argued freedom of information, but the AEPD stated that while freedom of expression and data protection must be reconciled, technical measures like blurring faces could have been used to prevent identification.
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The lesson from this incident
Full lessonEl Español published a video identifying both an assault victim and a minor assailant without applying available anonymization techniques such as face blurring, violating GDPR's data minimization principle. The core failure was an editorial and procedural one: staff lacked clear policies or training on when and how to anonymize personal data before publication. This case demonstrates that freedom of expression does not override data protection obligations, and that technical safeguards must be integrated into content workflows. The €20,000 fine underscores that media organizations are not exempt from GDPR compliance and face real financial consequences for avoidable oversights.
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Indicators of Compromise
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- url — https://www.aepd.es/documento/ps-00304-2024.pdf