In the matter of the General Data Protection Regulation
DPC Complaint Reference:
IMI Reference:
In the matter of a complaint, lodged by with the Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz
und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia DPA) pursuant to Article
77 of the General Data Protection Regulation, concerning MTCH Technology Services Limited
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 22nd day of August 2024
Data Protection Commission
21 Fitzwilliam Square South
Dublin 2, Ireland
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Background
1. On 7 March 2023, (“the Data Subject”) lodged a complaint pursuant to Article
77 of the GDPR with the Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit
Nordrhein-Westfalen (“the Recipient SA”) concerning MTCH Technology Services Limited
(“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 3 May 2023.
The Complaint
3. The details of the complaint were as follows:
a. The Data Subject contacted the Respondent on 14 February 2023, to request the
erasure of their personal data, pursuant to Article 17 of the GDPR.
b. The Respondent replied on the same day, advising the Data Subject that once an
account is closed, it is no longer visible to other users on the platform and that data
is deleted in accordance with its Privacy Policy. The Data Subject replied on 15
February 2023 re-iterating their request for erasure of their personal data. Later that
day, the Respondent replied, clarifying that personal data is deleted subject to certain
legitimate and lawful grounds to retain it.
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, it was established that
the Data Subject’s account was suspended due to a violation of the Respondent’s Terms of
Use and Community Guidelines. Following this suspension, the Respondent retained the Data
Subject’s personal data in line with its data retention policy. In its reply to the DPC, the
Respondent advised it conducted a fresh review of the Data Subject’s suspension. Following
this review, the Respondent asserted that due to the nature of the violation by the Data
Subject, it was not in a position to lift the suspension of the account. The Respondent further
advised that it had deleted the majority of the Data Subject’s personal data, and only retained
certain personal data in line with its data retention policy. In the circumstances, the
Respondent agreed to provide more information to the Data Subject in relation to its
practices.
8. On 15 December 2023, the DPC’s letter outlining the information provided by the Respondent,
which included the deletion dates of the remaining personal data 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. The Recipient SA confirmed to the DPC
that they issued this correspondence to the Data Subject on 20 February 2024.
9. On 24 February 2024, the Recipient SA informed the DPC that the Data Subject had responded
with additional queries in relation to the specific data retained. The DPC engaged further with
the Respondent to address the outstanding concerns raised by the Data Subject.
10. On 12 March 2024, the Respondent provided further information to clarify the specific
information retained, and confirmed the specific personal data that it does not retain, as
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raised by the Data Subject. The DPC wrote to the Data Subject, via the Recipient SA, with the
information provided by the Respondent, as part of the amicable resolution process on the
same date. 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. The Recipient SA confirmed to the DPC
that they issued this correspondence to the Data Subject on 24 April 2024.
11. On 21 May 2024, the Recipient SA confirmed to the DPC, that no response had been received
from the Data Subject.
12. On 4 June 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.
13. 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
14. 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.
15. 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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