What Actually Causes GDPR Fines?
02 December, 2025 - Selfcomplai
Common belief suggests data breaches are the primary driver of regulatory penalties. The data tells a different story: insufficient legal basis and lack of transparency are the true silent killers.
Data modeled on cumulative enforcement statistics (2018-2024).
The Myth of the "Hack"
While data breaches (Article 32) grab headlines, they are not the leading cause of fines by total value or volume. The vast majority of regulatory action targets Article 5 (Principles of Processing) and Article 6 (Lawfulness).
Organizations are frequently fined simply for processing data without valid consent or for keeping data longer than necessary, even if no security breach occurred.
Select a segment on the chart...
Click on the doughnut chart to see the breakdown of fine categories and understand the specific regulatory pitfalls associated with each Article.
Distribution of Fines by Violation Type
Sectors Under Scrutiny
Regulators focus heavily on industries that monetize personal data. While "Big Tech" dominates the headlines (and the dollar amounts), Media, Telecommunications, and Finance face significant enforcement frequency.
Top Sectors by Total Fine Value
Values in Millions (€)Are You At Risk?
Based on the analysis of thousands of fines, we've compiled a rapid self-assessment. This is not legal advice, but a heuristic for identifying common vulnerability gaps.