Cyprus data protection authority seeks immediate suspension of Fidias Panayiotou’s agora app

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus’ data protection authority has formally requested the immediate suspension of Fidias Panayiotou’s agora application, citing non-compliance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The request covers all processing activities on the platform, including recording, uploading, publication and storage of personal data.

GDPR obligations and processing of sensitive data

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, data protection commissioner Maria Christofidou said the platform processes “special categories of data, such as political opinions, on a large scale,” which triggers stricter obligations under Articles 35 and 36 of the GDPR.

Christofidou said an impact assessment is a preventive legal and technical risk assessment carried out before processing begins when there is likely to be a high risk to citizens’ rights.

Authority’s communications and suspension request

Christofidou said the authority first alerted those responsible in October last year and sent a formal letter to Panayiotou’s legal representatives on February 20 requesting immediate suspension.

“So far, there has been no written confirmation or action in this direction,” she said.

Authority’s position and independence

The authority said compliance with EU and national data protection law “constitutes a legal obligation and is not a matter of discretion.”

It added that it “does not act as a platform development advisor” and has a duty to request temporary suspension when a serious risk to personal data is identified.

Christofidou said the public must be able to trust that information applications collect complies with the legal framework and safeguards personal data.

The authority also said it is independent, operates free of political influence, and that its independence “is not negotiable.”

What steps do you think platforms should take to ensure compliance when processing special categories of data?