Belgium: Data Protection Authority's Litigation Chamber dismissed case regarding Garnett Media Corp's alleged unlawful consent collection for cookie placement (Decision 108/2025)

On 26 June 2025, the Belgian Data Protection Authority’s Contentious Chamber dismissed complaints filed by NOYB against Gannett Media Corp’s cookie banner practices, finding an abuse of rights under both European Union and Belgian law. NOYB was held to have artificially created legal standing by encouraging staff and interns to become data subjects to file mass complaints under Article 80.1 of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), pursuing its political objectives rather than genuine individual grievances. This conduct was ruled negligent and contrary to the purpose of the GDPR complaint mechanism, violating the principle that only data subjects acting on their behalf may mandate representatives.