Marktcheck SWR explains the current status of the waves of warnings.
Warning for 170 euros because of Google Fonts
Sabine Sauer has created a website for customers of her butcher shop. But then there is mail in the mailbox. A warning – from a lawyer from Berlin. A lawyer is demanding 170 euros in damages on behalf of his client. The Sauers violated his personal rights with their homepage. Sabine Sauer is not the only one. Author Andreas Harr also received such a warning - he has to pay 170 euros. A companion website for his new book was warned off. He decides not to pay and instead waits. There are numerous complaints from those affected on the Internet. They should also pay 170 euros because they used Google Fonts.
What are Google Fonts?
Google Fonts are fonts that can be used for free when creating websites. If these fonts are not downloaded and used locally, but are repeatedly integrated into the website by Google, the visitor's data, such as the IP address, is sent to Google in the USA when the page is accessed. According to the warning, Sabine and her husband Ulrich Sauer are said to have not downloaded the fonts and thus violated Martin Ismail's personal rights. Just like thousands of other website operators.
Criminal charges filed
Numerous people affected have also complained to the Protection Association against Economic Crime. In-house lawyer Peter Solf therefore filed a criminal complaint against the law firm and its client a few months ago. Several thousand people who were warned probably also paid. Peter Solf estimates that several hundred thousand euros were raised.
Attorney General's Office is investigating
The public prosecutor's office in Berlin is investigating the lawyer and his clients - around 420 reports have been received from those affected. At the end of last year, the public prosecutor's office carried out a raid. The offense of attempted fraud and possibly attempted blackmail has been fulfilled, says senior public prosecutor Sebastian Büchner. In addition, the warned websites are said to have been specifically searched for using software. The prosecutor's allegations are serious. The wave of warnings has been ebbing since November. The public prosecutor's office has secured more than 300,000 euros. But the Google Fonts warnings are far from over.
How can website owners protect themselves?
According to Peter Solf from the Protection Association against Economic Crime, owners should clarify whether their website is compliant and meets data protection and competition law requirements. He would have the whole thing clarified and updated again and again.
Source:
Market check SWR Author: Annika Erbach, image source: AdobeStock/ Gina Sanders
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )