Alert for Vodafone: They ignored their clients and will now pay for it

Vodafone faces a major setback after the fine imposed by the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD in Spanish). The reason was inappropriate commercial practices. Although the initial penalty amounted to 8 million euros, the National Court has decided to reduce it to 4.5 million, but the impact remains significant for the operator.

The reason for this fine is that, despite many of its customers explicitly opposing receiving commercial communications, Vodafone continued. It kept sending them calls and advertising messages.

What happened with Vodafone's penalty?

The origin of the penalty dates back to May 2021. The AEPD issued a resolution detailing how Vodafone had ignored its users' requests. Many of them, having actively expressed their refusal to receive advertising, continued to be contacted with commercial offers.

And even some of them were registered on the Robinson list. It consists of a registry that excludes users from receiving this type of communication.

The National Court's ruling has been clear. Although Vodafone argued that, on many occasions, marketing and advertising tasks are outsourced to partner companies. However, the operator is ultimately responsible for the actions of these agents.

This implies that, even if the company is not the one directly making the calls, it remains responsible. It must ensure that its partners respect the customers' rights.

Vodafone's reaction

The company argued that it couldn't completely control the actions of external agents managing commercial campaigns. They argued that procedures weren't always followed perfectly. Therefore, it wasn't possible to completely avoid this type of incident.

However, the National Court hasn't been so lenient. Although it reduced the initial penalty from 8 million to 4.5 million, it confirmed that Vodafone's responsibility in this case couldn't be avoided.

This legal setback is a clear message that companies must respect consumer rights. Especially regarding data protection and privacy. The operator's users made it clear long ago that they didn't want to receive advertising, and the operator continued breaking the law for months.

The reduction, a relief for the operator

The fact that the National Court has reduced the original penalty doesn't mean that the severity of the infringement has been reduced. The 4.5 million euro fine remains a hard blow for Vodafone. It had already been enduring several criticisms for its commercial practices in recent times.

This case is a clear example of how companies must ensure respect for consumer rights if they want to avoid penalties. And more importantly, preserve their reputation.