Danish Data Protection Agency overwhelmed by GDPR cases

Number of instances expected to quadruple to 20,000 annually

The implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) across the EU last May has had quite an impact on the Danish Data Protection Agency (DDPA).

The agency has seen a tremendous spike in cases being processed and expects to have to handle 20,000 cases this year – a quadrupling of the average 5,000 cases it usually processes annually.

“Obviously, we are challenged by so many cases. It’s true we have been bolstered, but if it continues at this rate, it could render the agency’s 30 percent increase in manpower inadequate,” Jesper Husmer Vang, a spokesperson for the DDPA, told IT-Watch.

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Mistakes costly now
The vast majority of cases being processed by the DDPA involve questions from companies and authorities regarding data treatment and storage – queries that have become far more complex and important following the GDPR coming into effect.

DDPA has also received about 1,000 reports of security breaches involving hackers gaining access to personal data.

Data breaches need be reported to DDPA within 72 hours, according to the new rules.