US EditionData Watchdog Issues €550K Fine over Public Services Card
- On June 12, 2025, the Data Protection Commission fined Ireland's Department of Social Protection €550,000 for breaches involving biometric data in the Public Services Card registration process.
- This followed a DPC investigation initiated in July 2021 which determined that the DSP did not establish an appropriate legal justification and lacked sufficient transparency when collecting facial recognition data under the SAFE 2 registration.
- The inquiry revealed that the DSP holds biometric facial templates for about 70% of Ireland's population, and the registration card is mandatory for accessing welfare and other state services.
- Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle stated the findings identify legislative deficiencies, yet no evidence showed inadequate security measures, while the DSP must cease biometric processing within nine months if no legal basis is identified.
- The decision implies ongoing scrutiny of large-scale biometric data use in public services and highlights the need for clear legal frameworks to ensure compliance with data protection laws.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Data watchdog issues €550,000 facial recognition fine over Public Services Card
The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined the Department of Social Protection (DSP) €550,000 for breaches of privacy rules relating to the use of facial recognition technology in the registration process for the Public Services Card. A DPC investigation found breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) relating to failures to identify a valid lawful basis for the collection of biometric data, the retention of biometric data col
Hidden Amazon tech sparks €32M fine
Frances’ data Watchdog has just fined Amazon €32 million for using a secret algorithm to monitor staff performance to the nearest second. The system tracks the idleness of barcode scans and bathroom breaks, while retaining that data for 31 days, which is something that the CNIL considers excessively intrusive. Now, the same question is circulating Spain’s warehouses: Is Amazon doing the same… Source
Data watchdog issues €550K fine over Public Services Card
The Data Protection Commission has fined the Department of Social Protection €550,000 for breaches of privacy rules relating to the use of facial recognition technology in the registration process for the Public Services Card.
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