Noncompliance with the GDPR can result in warnings, bans on processing personal data, fines and lawsuits.
The EU can fine organizations up to 4% of their global annual revenue or €20 million for violations of the basic principles of GDPR privacy rights and the right for data subjects to have their data deleted. For lesser offenses, the EU can fine an enterprise up to 2% of its global annual revenue or €10 million.
In addition, data subjects have the right to sue organizations for damages when they are negatively impacted by a site’s failure to comply with GDPR. Bans, fines and lawsuits can lead to significant financial losses, damage to brand reputation and loss of consumer trust.
Many well-known brands have been heavily fined for GDPR violations. British Airways paid £20 million — one of the largest GDPR fines in history — in addition to settling a private class action lawsuit for allowing the sensitive data of 420,000 customers to be compromised via form field access.