A few days ago I sent a GDPR request to some company to delete my personal data. They said to install their app and send a ticket from the app. The email was sent from the email address to which the account is registered. Is this even legal?

  • _TheNardDog_@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    No, it’s not at all legal for the company to do this. Reply and remind them they have one calendar month to comply from the date of your original request, otherwise you will make a complaint to which ever information regulator is correct for the juridiction they’re operating in.

    I’m a lawyer specialising in Data Privacy, reply here if you need more help on this one.

    Also feel free to name the company.

    • miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      That reminds me, I might have to put in a formal complaint for a somewhat similar matter.

      Bought concert cards years ago, and was never able to unsubsribe from the newsletter. I sent requests to every mail address I could find, and never even got a response. Still got newsletters every now and then though.

      They also just make it unnecessarily hard to contact them, so at this point I’m not sure my messages even reached them, which hopefully is what explains their failure to comply.

    • My Password Is 1234@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      For now, I do not want to announce the name of this company publicly.

      If they don’t want to solve it amicably, then I will do so.

    • Nelots@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Man, Elon really does ruin everything. Can’t even use X as a variable anymore without a disclaimer.

  • SimonSaysStuff@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    GDPR clearly states you can contact any part of the organisation with your request. You can make your request verbally or in writing and they must acknowledge it. They can’t refuse and make you use their app.

    For fun send them a Subject Access Request and if they don’t acknowledge it, report them to the ICO (if you’re in the UK)

  • Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I had this before, though not through a direct communication. Someone had gotten my email credentials somehow and installed a company’s app and made an account. When I went through the support pages on the company’s site to find out how to delete the account the only listed way was through the app itself.

    They were accommodating and helpful when I emailed the company about it though. I just told them that I can’t agree to the privacy policy and thus cannot install the app but still need the account to be deleted. They did it.

  • cosmicrookie@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Simply ask for the official company name, registration number and country as well as the prereree means of communication that they would like your local data authorities to contact them on.

    Also make a 1 star review, stating that you are in talks with your local gdpr authorities about their way of handling privacy.

    This worked for me last time a company asked me to download an app to delete my account

  • rambos@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I had a simmilar situation with Nicehash (crypto shit company), but I had 2fa enabled and just wanted to unsubscribe from useless newsletters. They asked for a photo of me holding a paper with my personal information. Still didnt solve that, but some comments here might help, following

  • cheese_greater@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Then you, kindly dispose urself of all my personal data.

    —Dictated but not read, fuck you Me(also take me to ur leader)

  • Etterra@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I don’t know, maybe? If they have a process, no matter how laborious and roundabout, they can always claim that they have a process and that you have nothing to complain about, legally speaking. Their wagering that people will not go through all the bullshit, and they’re unfortunately right. That’s literally why they do it. The only correct response is to hound them relentlessly, going to Twitter (or something else idk these days, and I’m not calling it X), the press if necessary, and pestering as many government bodies and officials as you have to in order to make them get their fucking shit together. And then they’ll make your particular situation of priority because now you’re being more of a pain in the ass than actually doing their job is. They won’t change the broken system, because one exception in a thousand isn’t worth it to them to be bothered with.

    Tldr, maybe but it probably won’t help you, so make it as big of a headache for them as possible.

  • Slurpey@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Use this template in chat gpt…

    Can you write an official letter for removal of my private data for (company name) and (my name). Use a strong tone and legalese langage. Make sure you verify the timeframe they must respond (act with 30 days of this letter) and any other specific to make sure they know what my rights are and that I am serious. List the typical types of data they might have on me. And write in a 1800L lexile scale.

    • Slurpey@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’m sorry but you live in another universe from not finding this the perfect letter.

      From chat gpt

      [Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, Zip] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date]

      [Recipient Name] [Company Name] [Company Address] [City, State, Zip]

      Subject: Formal Request for Immediate Erasure of Personal Data

      Dear [Recipient Name],

      I am writing to formally request the immediate erasure of all personal data pertaining to myself, [Your Name], from your systems in accordance with Article 17 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This entails the deletion of my data from your databases and any other processing systems within your organization.

      The categories of data I am referring to include, but are not limited to:

      1. Personal identification information (name, address, email, phone number)
      2. Professional data (job title, employer, professional contacts)
      3. Financial data (bank account details, transaction history)
      4. Technical data (IP addresses, cookie data, browsing history)
      5. Any other category of data related to me.

      You are hereby instructed to ensure this erasure without undue delay and, in any event, within thirty (30) days of receipt of this letter. Failure to comply within this timeframe will compel me to take further legal action to enforce my rights under the GDPR.

      I further request that you provide written confirmation upon successful deletion of my data, indicating that no personal data pertaining to me remains in your possession, custody or control.

      In the event that you require any additional information to comply with this request, you may contact me via email or phone, as provided above.

      Thank you for your prompt attention to this serious matter.

      Sincerely,

      [Your Signature (if sending a hard copy)] [Your Name (printed)]

  • PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Cool clickbait. By censoring the company you are complaining about you are removing any possibility of confirming the story. Why would you do this? you are supposedly mad about the company and thus airing a public grievance, yet what could is a public grievance if no one know the target of your ire? Well it’s useless, so why would you post this? For internet points? Maybe go back to reddit.

    • My Password Is 1234@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      The purpose of this post was to find out if what they do is legal. That is, if I have the right to file a complaint. I’m not obliged to tell you the name of the company. I have things to do and I don’t care about “internet points”, as you call them.

      • PowerCrazy@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        You say you don’t “Care about internet points” and you have “things to do” yet you constantly post and comment on AI generated memes. It’s ok if you want to enjoy things online. It’s also ok if you do deeply care about internet points, but don’t outrage farm.