EU Advocate General: Google Fonts warning waves often abusive

The assessment targets the practice of systematically searching websites for supposed violations, such as the embedding of external fonts, and then sending large numbers of standardised demands. The aim of such campaigns is not to protect personal data but to generate revenue, which is the point at which the advocate general sees an abuse.

Why it matters

For website operators who have received such letters, the opinion is a significant signal. It supports the argument that payment demands resulting from deliberately provoked violations do not have to be met. For legitimate data protection claims, the GDPR's right to compensation remains untouched.

An advocate general's opinion is not binding on the court. The judges often follow it, however, so it is regarded as an important indicator of the likely ruling. The court's judgment is still to come and will determine how far the abuse argument holds across the EU.