Greece Data Protection Authority clears Ministry road safety SMS

The Hellenic Data Protection Authority has ruled that the mass SMS campaign conducted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport was legal and compliant with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provisions.

The decision follows approximately 83 complaints from citizens regarding a text message sent prior to the October 28, 2025, national holiday. The message warned: ‘IN THE PREVIOUS THREE DAYS OF THE 28TH, 14 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES ON THE ASPHALT. IF YOU LOVE YOUR FAMILY, BE CAREFUL ON THE ROAD. MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT.’

Complainants argued that the message was sent without prior notification or consent, with some noting the content was irrelevant to non-drivers. However, the Authority found that the Ministry acted out of necessity to promote road safety and protect human life, citing statistical increases in fatal traffic accidents during national holidays.

The Ministry had formally requested the Association of Mobile Telecommunications Companies to investigate the technical possibility of a mass broadcast to all citizens to promote road safety awareness, at no financial cost to the Greek state.