Increased Fines and Consumer Awareness

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Highlighting the potential data protection concerns arising from the use of AI, Google was required to delay the introduction of a new AI chatbot, Bard, following an intervention on the part of Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC). The Commission stated that the tech giant needed to provide further information as to how EU citizens’ privacy rights would b email marketing lists australia e protected. Google subsequently launched Bard in the EU, following what the DPC described as ‘a number of changes, in particular increased transparency and changes to controls for users.

" Data compliance is an ongoing journey. The initial priority is to get the basics right. "
- Steven Roberts
As marketers, we are the voice of the consumer, responsible for protecting the brand and reputation of our firms. Consumers have greater awareness of their data protection rights. Much of this is being driven by publicity that has surrounded large fines.

According to law firm DLA Piper, EU supervisory authorities issued €1.6 billion in fines in the 12 months from 28th January 2022. This trend continued in 2023, most notably with the Irish DPC’s issuing of a €1.2 billion fine against Meta for transferring EU users’ personal data to the USA without having adequate data protection mechanisms in place.






In April 2023, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a £12.7 million fine to TikTok for breaches relating to the misuse of children’s data. The EU followed suit, and upped the ante, through the September 2023 fine of £296 million by the DPC against TikTok for failing to shield underage users and breaking GDPR rules.