EU Court Holds Websites Responsible for GDPR Compliance with User Content

EU Court Holds Websites Responsible for GDPR Compliance with User Content

The EU court ruled that websites hosting user content must actively protect user privacy and comply with GDPR, including for anonymous users, or face heavy fines.

Wilson Sonsini | CJEU Rules on Online Marketplaces’ Liability for User Content Under the GDPR | European American Chamber of Commerce New York [EACCNY] | Your Partner for Transatlantic Business Resources

On December 2, 2025, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) in X v Russmedia Digital SRL (C-492/23), ruled that the operator of an online marketplace, as a data controller, is responsible for the processing of personal data contained in advertisements published on its platform, and cannot rely on the hosting liability safe harbor to avoid responsibility for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) infringements arising from unlawful processing. …