An article by Stergios Konstantinou, has been published in NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI Daily under the title: “Political Communication and Personal Data: What Is Permitted and What Is No Longer Permitted”.
The article examines the legal framework governing political communication where personal data are used, taking as a starting point the “email-gate” case, Decision 16/2024 of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority, recent judicial developments, and the full application of Regulation (EU) 2024/900 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising.
The key point of the article is that political communication is not an informal activity operating outside legal rules. Any political figure, political party or organisation using personal data for the purpose of sending political communications must be able, before any such communication is sent, to document:
- the source of the data and whether that source is lawful,
- the legal basis selected and documented before the processing takes place,
- whether the recipient has been informed about the sender’s identity, the purpose of the communication, the source of the data and their rights,
- whether an easy and effective mechanism to object or unsubscribe is available.
Following the “email-gate” case, compliance in political communication is no longer merely a matter of good practice. It is a matter of legal responsibility, with potential administrative, criminal and civil liability implications.
You can read the full article in NOMIKI BIBLIOTHIKI Daily [In Greek].