The complainant to the Mobile World Congress, fined 200,000 euros, explains the reasons

Anastasia Dedyukhina, the speaker who filed the complaint with the AEPD alleging violation of privacy and rights by the MWC, has spoken to Business Insider.

As already mentioned in another article, the organizer of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, ​​GSMA, one of the most important technology fairs in the world, must disburse 200,000 euros after deploying a system of facial recognition that allowed visitors to access the venue, according to a decision by the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD).

The visitor biometric data collection system was installed in 2021 — and continued to be used in 2023 — without a prior impact assessment, according to the resolution of the AEPD. The agency ruled that the conference violated various provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The 200,000 fine is considered low as MWC showed no intent to deceive, although it did show “a serious lack of diligence”, according to the sentence. The GSMA tried to appeal, pointing out that the biometric data of the visitors was processed and stored for only 4 months, but the agency was not convinced.

Now and according to collect Business InsiderAnastasia Dedyukhina, the speaker who filed the complaint in 2021 with the AEPD, has spoken.

Anastasia Dedyukhina, whistleblower in the MWC case, speaks to ‘Business Insider’

As he explains, he began to suspect a breach of his data the moment he he was required to upload a photocopy of his identity document or passport to a platform. Based on this, he decided to give the presentation remotely since to attend in person he had to submit to their demands.

“How did I realize that this could be abusive data processing? I didn’t think about it. I just couldn’t understand why a private company wanted me to upload my passport to their system, and I asked about it. I also wasn’t clear how the data in my passport could help protect anyone from the coronavirus”explains for Business Insider the plaintiff.

The organizer also commented that this prior step was necessary because the Mossos d’Esquadra required it. “It is strange the claim they made, there would have been no problem with the police physically checking my passport during the access to the MWC,” Add.

With all this altercation already in the hands of the AEPD, Anastasia Dedyukhina encourages people to be aware of the privacy of their data and protect it.

“Many people still do not understand that if a company has data about you, they can use it to predict how you will behave online and thus try to influence your behavior to make you more predictable, more standard. Europe has some of the strictest legislation in this regard. data protection, and yet people are still not aware of their rights”explains in the interview for Business Insider.

“Privacy has enormous value also on the psychological front and that is why what we fight for is worth fighting for.. […] If we don’t stand up and assert our rights, we are accepting by default an Orwellian digital future.”ends.