In the matter of the General Data Protection Regulation
DPC Complaint Reference:
IMI Reference:
In the matter of a complaint, lodged by with the Berliner Beauftragte für
Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit (Berlin DPA) pursuant to Article 77 of the General Data
Protection Regulation, concerning Airbnb Ireland UC
Record of Amicable Resolution of the complaint and its consequent withdrawal pursuant to
Section 109(3) of the Data Protection Act, 2018
Further to the requirements of EDPB Guidelines 06/2022 on the practical implementation of
amicable settlements Version 2.0 (adopted on 12 May 2022)
RECORD OF AMICABLE RESOLUTION FOR THE
PURPOSE OF EDPB GUIDELINES 06/2022 ON THE
PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF AMICABLE
SETTLEMENTS VERSION 2.0
(ADOPTED ON 12 MAY 2022)
Dated the 21st day of June 2024
Data Protection Commission
21 Fitzwilliam Square South
Dublin 2, Ireland
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Background
1. On 3 February 2023, (“the Data Subject”) lodged a complaint pursuant to
Article 77 of the GDPR with the Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit
(“the Recipient SA”) concerning Airbnb Ireland UC (“the Respondent”).
2. In circumstances where the Data Protection Commission (“the DPC”) was deemed to be the
competent authority for the purpose of Article 56(1) of the GDPR, the Recipient SA transferred
the complaint to the DPC on 25 April 2023.
The Complaint
3. The details of the complaint were as follows:
a. The Data Subject contacted the Respondent on 27 January 2023, requesting deletion
of their personal data from its systems after receiving an email from the Respondent,
which informed them of its updated Terms and Conditions, despite never registering
to receive any services provided by the Respondent.
b. On 28 January 2023, the Respondent advised the Data Subject that in order for it to
proceed with the deletion request, the Data Subject would need to complete a
specific form on the Respondent’s website via the link provided.
c. As the Data Subject was not satisfied with the response received from the
Respondent, they lodged a complaint with the Recipient SA.
Action taken by the DPC
4. The DPC, pursuant to Section 109(4) of the Data Protection Act, 2018 (“the 2018 Act”), is
required, as a preliminary matter, to assess the likelihood of the parties to the complaint
reaching, within a reasonable time, an amicable resolution of the subject-matter of the
complaint. Where the DPC considers that there is a reasonable likelihood of such an amicable
resolution being concluded between the parties, it is empowered, by Section 109(2) of the
2018 Act, to take such steps as it considers appropriate to arrange or facilitate such an
amicable resolution.
5. Following a preliminary examination of the material referred to it by the Recipient SA, the DPC
considered that there was a reasonable likelihood of the parties concerned reaching, within a
reasonable time, an amicable resolution of the subject matter of the complaint. The DPC’s
experience is that complaints of this nature are particularly suitable for amicable resolution in
circumstances where there is an obvious solution to the dispute, if the respondent is willing
to engage in the process. In this regard, the DPC had regard to:
a. The relationship between the Data Subject and Respondent (being, in this case, an
individual consumer and a service provider); and
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b. The nature of the complaint (in this case, an unsuccessful attempt by the Data Subject
to exercise their data subject rights).
6. While not relevant to the assessment that the DPC is required to carry out pursuant to Section
109(4) of the 2018 Act, the DPC also had regard to EDPB Guidelines 06/2022 on the practical
implementation of amicable settlements Version 2.0, adopted on 12 May 2022 (“Document
06/2022”), and considered that:
a. the possible conclusion of the complaint by way of amicable resolution would not
hamper the ability of the supervisory authorities to maintain the high level of
protection that the GDPR seeks to create; and that
b. such a conclusion, in this case, would likely carry advantages for the Data Subject,
whose rights under the GDPR would be vindicated swiftly, as well as for the controller,
who would be provided the opportunity to bring its behaviour into compliance with
the GDPR.
Amicable Resolution
7. The DPC engaged with both the Data Subject (via the Recipient SA) and Respondent in relation
to the subject matter of the complaint. Further to that engagement, on 13 September 2023,
the Respondent advised the DPC that it had misunderstood the nature of the Data Subject’s
initial query regarding the existence of the account on the Respondent’s platform, which was
linked to the Data Subject’s email address, mistakenly believing that the Data Subject was the
owner of the account in question. The Respondent further advised that following this
misunderstanding, and prior to the DPC receiving the complaint, on 31 January 2023 it had
deleted the account in question, and informed the Data Subject of this action. In addition, the
Respondent offered the Data Subject a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience caused by
this issue.
8. On 19 September 2023, the DPC’s letter outlining the action taken by the Respondent as part
of the amicable resolution process issued to the Recipient SA for onward transmission to the
Data Subject. In its correspondence to the Data Subject, the DPC requested that the Data
Subject notify it, within a specified timeframe, if they were not satisfied with the actions taken
by the Respondent, so that the DPC could take further action.
9. On 24 April 2024, the DPC was informed that the Data Subject was agreeable to the amicable
resolution proposal and the case can be closed.
10. On 9 May 2024, and in light of the foregoing, the DPC wrote to the Recipient SA noting that
the DPC considered the complaint to have been amicably resolved and withdrawn in
accordance with section 109(3) of the Act and that it would conclude the case and inform the
Respondent. On 14 May 2024, the Recipient SA confirmed receipt of the DPC’s
correspondence, which had advised that the complaint was deemed withdrawn.
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11. In circumstances where the subject matter of the complaint has been amicably resolved, in
full, the complaint, by virtue of Section 109(3) of the 2018 Act, is deemed to have been
withdrawn by the Data Subject.
Confirmation of Outcome
12. For the purpose of Document 06/2022, the DPC confirms that:
a. The complaint, in its entirety, has been amicably resolved between the parties
concerned;
b. The agreed resolution is such that the object of the complaint no longer exists; and
c. Having consulted with the supervisory authorities concerned on the information set
out above, as required by Document 06/2022 the DPC has now closed off its file in
this matter.
13. If dissatisfied with the outcome recorded herein, the parties have the right to an effective
remedy by way of an application for judicial review, by the Irish High Court, of the process
applied by the DPC in the context of the within complaint.
Signed for and on behalf of the DPC:
_____________________________
Deputy Commissioner
Data Protection Commission
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