He achieved the impossible and earned 5,000 Euros from Facebook: Now everyone is suing him for the same reason.

André Fricke, a 41-year-old resident of Leipzig, achieved what many thought impossible. He won a single-handed lawsuit against the tech giant Meta (Facebook) for data breaches, securing €5,000 in compensation. This decision could, in theory, pave the way for nearly all Facebook users to pursue similar claims.

It all started when André Fricke noticed that the multi-billion dollar company was spying on its users with an invisible technology called the "Facebook Pixel."

These tiny pixels, placed on websites, allow Meta to track users' browsing and what they're interested in, even when they're offline. This is how the company generates massive revenue by serving "perfectly tailored" ads to its users.

The most ironic part of the story is that Fricke found the lawyer who helped him win against Meta through a Facebook ad. This ad had come up in a previous search on the subject.

The Leipzig Regional Court ruled that this app constituted a serious violation of the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Several key points make the decision so striking:

Record-Breaking Compensation: While data breach cases often result in nominal or very low compensation, the €5,000 compensation was an unusually high figure in this field. For example, in a previous Facebook data breach case, users were awarded only €100.

Burden of Proof Eased: The court didn't even hear Fricke in person when making its decision. It was based on abstract arguments like "the feeling of being under constant surveillance" and "the economic value of the data to Meta." This frees up millions of plaintiffs by removing the burden of proving concrete, individual harm from future users.

GDPR’s Power Proven: This decision showed that GDPR is not just a regulation on paper, but has real enforcement power that can protect individuals against tech giants.

CAN ANYONE FILE A LAWSUIT?

In theory, yes, but in practice, the situation is somewhat different. There's no automatic compensation process. Each user must file a lawsuit individually, arguing that their data was processed unlawfully and that they have suffered moral harm, such as "loss of control and a sense of being monitored."

The biggest advantage in André Fricke's case was that he had insurance covering all legal expenses. Meta is expected to appeal the decision, and the case is expected to continue in higher courts. So, the final word in this legal battle hasn't been spoken yet.

Still, this decision sets a crucial precedent for consumer advocates, paving the way for future litigation. This decision from the Leipzig courtroom clearly demonstrates Europe's seriousness about data protection and the ability of even ordinary citizens to hold a major corporation accountable.