More data protection complaints than ever before in Saxony

Saxony's Data Protection Commissioner, Juliane Hundert, has received more complaints this year than ever before. By the end of September, more than 1,800 complaints regarding suspected data protection violations had been filed—a 52 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This means the previous record of 1,614 complaints for the entire year of 2025 has already been broken, according to a press release.

There has been a significant increase in complaints related to video surveillance. These often involve cameras in commercial settings as well as in residential and neighborhood areas. “In many cases, public sidewalks, tenant areas, or customer areas are recorded without authorization.” Disputes between neighbors, too, are often settled via video surveillance once they reach a certain level of escalation.

According to the report, data breaches—for example, at companies and institutions—are also on the rise. These entities are required to report data protection violations to the supervisory authority. By the end of October, 1,400 such reports had been received—more than ever before, according to the report. In all of 2025, there were 1,058. One reason is said to be an increase in cyberattacks involving personal data—such as health and financial information.

AI Makes It Easier for Citizens to Draft Complaints

The rise in complaints is also attributed to the spread of artificial intelligence (AI). It makes it easier for citizens to draft complaints and find the appropriate contacts, according to the report. Data Protection Commissioner Hundert is appealing to the state parliament to provide her with more staff to handle the “flood of complaints.” Specifically, she is asking for two additional positions on top of the current 41 positions in her department. 

“Otherwise, the persistently high volume of complaints and the increasing complexity of the issues will inevitably come at the expense of unscheduled inspections, public education, and general preventive work,” emphasizes Hundert. “I fear that the protection of fundamental and personal rights will be noticeably weakened.”