1,741 “informed” consents with one click?! GDPR complaint against dict.cc filed
noyb.eu has filed a complaint against the online dictionary dict.cc for alleged violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The complaint centers on the website's cookie banner, which reportedly nudges users into consenting to online tracking by an extensive list of 1,741 "partners" with a single click. This practice, the organization argues, makes it impossible for users to be truly informed about who accesses their data and how it is used, undermining the GDPR's requirement for freely given, specific, and unambiguous consent.
The digital advertising industry heavily relies on tracking user browsing habits for personalized advertisements. Under EU privacy law, such tracking is illegal by default and requires explicit user consent. However, many websites, including dict.cc in this instance, present consent requests that involve hundreds or even thousands of companies, making it practically unfeasible for users to understand the implications of their agreement. The sheer volume of partner companies, each with its own privacy policy, would require days of review, effectively preventing informed consent.
This complaint highlights a widespread issue within the online advertising ecosystem, where data is often shared and sold by data brokers for various purposes, including potential surveillance by both democratic and authoritarian governments. The complaint, filed with the Austrian Data Protection Authority, requests the deletion of unlawfully processed data and notification to all data recipients. This action underscores the ongoing effort to enforce data protection rights in the digital realm and promote greater transparency in online advertising practices.
Curated and translated by Europe Digital for our multilingual European audience.
Why this matters for European digital sovereignty
This GDPR complaint against dict.cc highlights how consent mechanisms on European websites can undermine user privacy. The case questions whether accepting tracking from 1,741 partners with a single click meets the GDPR's standard for informed consent. It underscores the challenges of data sharing in the digital advertising ecosystem within the EU framework.
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