Dutch government sued for compensation over GGD Covid data theft

Translation of the nos.nl site:

A foundation that submits claims for damages is taking the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) and 34 other agencies (including regional GGDs) to court due to a data breach at the GGD during the corona pandemic. The ICAM Foundation is demanding compensation for people who have registered as victims.

During the corona pandemic, data from everyone who had a corona test was visible to GGD call center employees for a while due to a data breach. According to RTL Nieuws, this sensitive data was traded on a large scale.

'6.5 million victims' The foundation says that a total of 6.5 million people may have become victims and demands 500 euros per victim. The foundation wants 1,500 euros in compensation for people who can actually prove that their data has been stolen.

Last year the foundation also threatened a lawsuit, but a solution was first sought with the ministry. Because, according to the foundation, too little came out of this, the lawsuit is now underway.

The municipality of Amsterdam was also summoned The ministry, among others, is being summoned today, but also the municipalities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, regional GGDs, safety regions and the national GGD GHOR, ANP reports. To participate in the mass claim, people must register with the foundation.

Registration is free because a lender finances the legal process. The GGD claim will cost ICAM at least 1 million euros, Liesker Litigation Financing, the company financing the case, said last year. The company will receive 20 percent of any compensation, with a maximum of five times the costs of the case. That could amount to around 5 million euros.

vz-risk / VCDB

Dutch government sued for compensation over GGD Covid data theft #19660