The Regional Court Berlin II addressed the data protection compliance of the so-called ‘Friend Finder’ function of a social network. The subject of the proceedings was the question of whether the design of this function complies with the applicable data protection regulations. The following depiction is based on the report on the judgment from 24.02.2026 on urteile.news (Source: https://urteile.news/Landgericht-Berlin-II_15-O-56918_Freunde-Finder-Funktion-von-Facebook-verstoesst-gegen-geltende-Datenschutzbestimmungen~N35785).
Subject of the Proceedings and Legal Examination Standard
Cause of the Judicial Dispute
The focus was on a function designed to facilitate finding and connecting with contacts. It is particularly relevant how contact data is processed and whether the personal information used for this is based on a viable legal ground.
Data Protection Assessment
The court had to assess whether the specific implementation of the function meets the requirements for lawful data processing. Key aspects include the directives on transparency, purpose limitation, and the legality of personal data processing.
Key Statements of the Decision
Identified Violation of Data Protection Regulations
According to the reported decision, the Regional Court Berlin II concluded that the ‘Friend Finder’ function in its examined form violates applicable data protection regulations. Therefore, the data processing associated with this function was deemed unlawful.
Significance of Consent and Information Design
In the course of judicial assessment, it is crucial, according to the source, whether users are informed in a manner that complies with legal requirements and whether necessary consent is effectively obtained. Thus, the specific design of the function (including information presentation and options) becomes central to the evaluation.
Integration of the Decision in Practice
Relevance for Digital Business Models
The decision highlights that functions built on social relationships and contact lists can be particularly sensitive from a data protection perspective. This is especially true when the processing involves not only the data of registered users but also incorporates information from contact directories.
No Prejudgment Beyond the Individual Case
The representation given here is confined to the content reported in the source regarding the decision of the Regional Court Berlin II. An evaluation beyond this or a statement on further proceedings is not associated with it.
Need for Data Protection Clarification and Contacts
The decision shows that the legal assessment of data-driven functions regularly depends on their specific technical and organizational implementation. If there are legal issues related to similar functions or data processing, an accompanying evaluation can be helpful. Information on support from MTR Legal in the data protection sector can be found at: Legal Advice in Data Protection.
