Whether it is video surveillance, AI, or health data – the number of data protection complaints is rising rapidly. The new activity reports from North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony make it clear: people are taking their rights seriously. And they are demanding political protection. Why the topic of data protection is more urgent today than ever – and how the authorities are reacting to current challenges.
Data Should Be Protected
The activity reports of the State Data Protection Commissioners of NRW and Lower Saxony demonstrate a strong need for data protection. LDI Bettina Gayk emphasizes: “Too often I hear that data protection is a hindrance or is taken too seriously. But people want their data to be protected and their concerns must also be taken seriously politically.” This is evidenced by a new record of 12,490 inquiries (including the reporting of 2,170 data breaches). In contrast to this are political plans to centralize data protection for the commercial sector under the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection. “Given these figures, which affect NRW alone, entire departments would have to be rebuilt at the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection. At the same time, established structures at the state level would be dismantled. No one can seriously want that,” Gayk criticizes.
Considering Data Protection for Digital Progress
The same applies in Lower Saxony: “We need strong data protection – not as a brake, but to enable trustworthy digitalization.” Regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence, State Data Protection Commissioner Denis Lehmkemper noted: “Particularly in the use of Artificial Intelligence, in healthcare, and in public administration, it is clear: only those who consider data protection can bring digital progress and the personal rights of every individual into a fair balance.”
Digital Sovereignty as a New Challenge
At the same time, Lehmkemper advocates for strengthening digital sovereignty: “Dependence on highly integrated, proprietary IT ecosystems can become a trap for data protection if it becomes virtually impossible to switch to a data-protection-friendly alternative when needed. Therefore, digital sovereignty is becoming an increasingly central requirement for digitalization.” Rising numbers are also recorded in Lower Saxony (2,300 complaints (up 7 percent) and 1,500 reported data breaches (up 17 percent)). Inadmissible video surveillance and the unauthorized publication of personal data on social networks were complained about particularly frequently.
More Complaints, More Awareness – and Clear Political Signals
Both reports underline the importance of strong data protection in an increasingly digitalized world, especially when using AI. The rising numbers of complaints and reported data breaches also prove a growing awareness of data protection among the general population, without data subjects hesitating to contact their competent data protection supervisory authorities directly with their concerns.
TB NRW: https://www.ldi.nrw.de/system/files/media/document/file/30.-bericht.pdf
TB Nds.: https://www.lfd.niedersachsen.de/2024/tatigkeitsbericht-2024-242456.html
Image source: © The State Commissioner for Data Protection Lower Saxony, Hanover 2025
