A homeowner in Poland has been fined over 26,000 zloty for ignoring a decision by the President of the Personal Data Protection Office (UODO). The case involved security cameras pointed at neighboring properties and a public road, marking a landmark ruling in Polish data protection enforcement.
According to “Rzeczpospolita,” in October 2025 the President of UODO ordered the homeowner to remove or reposition the cameras so they covered only his own property. The owner had seven days to comply but did not appeal the decision, which became legally binding. However, he failed to act, resulting in a fine of 26,711 zloty. The maximum penalty for non-compliance can reach 20 million euros.
Why the cameras violated the law
The UODO President stated that illegal surveillance of the neighborhood creates “a feeling of constant observation and monitoring of people’s private lives, including data on their location.” The administrator was processing the images and voices of individuals in places where they normally live, stay, and move, such as a public road. The authority emphasized that the homeowner had no right to monitor such areas using such an invasive method “in every situation and every day.”
– The administrator processes their image and voice in places of their daily presence and movement in connection with normal use of the public road – said the UODO President in the decision.
Clear rules for home surveillance
The case highlights that installing cameras on private property is legal only if the monitoring is strictly limited to the owner’s own land. Pointing cameras at neighbors’ homes, gardens, or public spaces constitutes unlawful data processing. The UODO stressed that privacy rights of others must be respected, even if the homeowner claims security reasons. The fine serves as a warning to thousands of Poles who use surveillance systems without proper regard for boundaries.
This is the first time the UODO has imposed a penalty on a homeowner for failing to comply with a removal order. Legal experts predict more such cases as data protection awareness grows and complaints from neighbors increase.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Shutterstock/Aleksandrkozak
