One year after the entry into force of landmark EU rules to better protect personal data, nearly 145,000 complaints have been registered, an initial assessment revealed on Wednesday.
The "General Data Protection Regulation" (GDPR), launched on May 25 last year, enhances the rights of internet users and requires all companies to request explicit consent to use personal data collected or processed in the EU.
The EU has billed the GDPR as the biggest shake-up of data privacy regulations since the birth of the web, saying it sets new standards as the world seeks closer scrutiny of Facebook, Google and Amazon.
It also gives citizens the "right to know" when their data is hacked.
The complaints have already triggered severe penalties, including France's record 50 million euros fine on US giant Google for not doing enough to inform users on how their data is used.
"The main aim of the rules has been to empower people and help them to gain more control over their personal data," said EU Justice and Consumer Affairs
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