The Cost of Non-Compliance: GDPR Fines and How to Avoid Them in 2025

In today’s contact centres, compliance isn’t just about securing digital files or encrypted databases—it’s also about safeguarding audio data. Overheard conversations and audio data breaches are rising concerns, particularly in the context of GDPR compliance. Inadvertent verbal disclosures can expose sensitive information, putting companies at risk of fines and reputational damage.

A 2023 DLA Piper report found that GDPR fines exceeded €1.64 billion in just one year, highlighting the regulatory focus on privacy breaches (source). While most companies address traditional data security, audio remains a blind spot, leaving organisations vulnerable to compliance issues.

Every day, contact centre agents handle sensitive customer data, from financial information to personal identifiers. However, poor audio quality, background noise, and even shared office spaces can lead to unintended data leaks:

• Overheard conversations: Sensitive details may be picked up by unintended parties, violating GDPR’s strict data protection rules.
• Unintelligible recordings: Incomplete or unclear call recordings hinder compliance with laws requiring accurate records, such as the FCA Consumer Duty Act (source).

The GDPR has teeth, and the fines are proof:

1. €1.2 billion fine for a major tech company (2023): This record penalty underscored how seriously regulators take privacy breaches (source).
2. €17 million fine for telecom provider (2022): Customer data leaks due to inadequate security measures led to this hefty fine (source).

While these cases often focus on digital data, audio breaches are becoming a growing area of scrutiny.

How can contact centres mitigate the risks of audio breaches? The solution lies in proactive compliance measures:

AI-Powered Noise Cancellation:

Advanced tools like IRIS Clarity reduce background noise, ensuring only the intended conversation is heard.

Secure Call Recording Systems:

Deploy technology that captures clear, intelligible recordings to meet regulatory requirements.

Employee Training:

Educate staff about verbal disclosure risks and GDPR compliance standards.

In 2025, regulators are expected to scrutinise audio data compliance more closely than ever. With hefty fines and reputational risks on the line, the time to act is now.

Download our whitepaper, "Audio Data: An Unforeseen Compliance Issue?", to learn more about safeguarding your organisation from audio data breaches.