The Spanish Data Protection Agency registered 30,931 complaints during the past year, which represents an increase of 64 percent compared to the previous year. This rebound is due to the massive use of new technologies and the growing citizen concern for privacy in digital environments.
The sanctions imposed by the authority exceeded 48 million euros. The most affected sectors were internet services, commerce, transport, hospitality, and those cases related to IT security breaches.
Artificial intelligence drives complaints
Lorenzo Cotino, president of the AEPD, presented the annual report in Madrid with deputy Francisco Pérez Bes. The head of the agency pointed out that they face the largest volume and complexity of claims in their history while maintaining the same human and economic resources as in previous years.
"We are facing a historic moment due to the growing use of modern technologies" - Lorenzo Cotino, president of the Spanish Data Protection Agency
The increase in files is explained by greater social awareness and the simplification of procedures for filing complaints. To this total figure are added 1,118 cross-border cases referred by other European authorities and 14 procedures initiated ex officio by the agency itself.
Security breaches multiply fines
Sanctioning procedures for data leaks experienced a growth of 157 percent. These infractions generated fines for an approximate value of 20 million euros. Video surveillance, public administrations, and the healthcare sector complete the list of areas with the highest number of open files.
The Priority Channel, enabled to request the urgent removal of sensitive content on the internet, managed 45 complaints. The effectiveness of this mechanism reached a removal rate of over 80 percent for the reported content.
The AEPD presented its 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes the implementation of systems based on artificial intelligence to detect early risks. Cotino demanded economic and financial independence to equip itself with intelligent supervision tools capable of combating future threats such as quantum computing.