German court blocks Snapchat from using MyAI data for targeted advertising
A Cologne court ruled that Snapchat may not process personal data collected via its MyAI chatbot for advertising, especially for under-13 users.
In a ruling by the Cologne Regional Court, the judge largely granted the Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband’s claim against Snap Group Limited, ordering that Snapchat cannot process personal one outlet obtained through its MyAI generative-AI chatbot for advertising purposes. The court cited GDPR Article 9, stating that even voluntarily shared data may not be used for targeted ads. It also condemned the app’s default settings that pre-selected topics such as alcohol and gambling, deeming them violations of youth-protection law.
Snap’s spokesperson said the company has already modified MyAI, including the removal of advertising, and plans to appeal the decision. Users must be at least 13 years old, and consumer advocates warned that younger teens may not fully understand the risks of sharing sensitive data. The ruling is not yet final but could reshape data-handling practices for social-media platforms in Germany.
Why it matters
The decision could force social apps to change how they collect and use teen data for advertising.
In this story
