Best Cyber Law, Data Privacy and Data Protection Lawyers in Thivais

About Cyber Law, Data Privacy and Data Protection Law in Thivais, Greece

Thivais is subject to Greek and European Union rules on cyber law and personal data. As an EU member state, Greece applies the General Data Protection Regulation, together with national implementing and supplemental laws. In practice, this means organizations and individuals in Thivais must follow clear standards for how they collect, use, secure, share, and store data, and how they respond to cyber risks and incidents. The Hellenic Data Protection Authority supervises compliance with data protection rules across Greece, while national cybersecurity bodies oversee network and information security. Local courts and authorities in Thivais apply these national and EU rules in civil, administrative, and criminal matters. Whether you are a small business, a public body, a startup, or an individual, understanding these frameworks helps you make informed decisions, reduce risk, and protect your rights.

This guide provides a plain language overview. It is informational only and not legal advice. For specific cases, consult a qualified lawyer licensed in Greece.

Why You May Need a Lawyer

You may need legal help in Thivais for any of the following common situations. Your company is launching a website, app, or online service and needs GDPR-compliant privacy notices, cookie controls, and consent flows. You process customer, patient, student, or employee data and need policies, records of processing, data minimization strategies, and secure retention schedules. You have experienced a cyber incident or data breach and must assess risk, preserve evidence, notify the Hellenic Data Protection Authority within 72 hours when required, and communicate with affected individuals. You engage vendors for cloud hosting, marketing, analytics, payroll, or IT support and need data processing agreements and international transfer safeguards. You use CCTV, access control, geolocation, biometrics, or employee monitoring tools and must meet proportionality, transparency, and signage requirements. You run marketing by email, SMS, or phone and need valid consent or another lawful basis under e-privacy rules. You operate in regulated sectors such as telecoms, finance, energy, health, or transport and must meet cybersecurity and incident reporting duties. You receive a data subject request for access, deletion, or objection and must respond on time with appropriate scope. You face an investigation, audit, or complaint before the Hellenic Data Protection Authority or a civil claim for damages. You are preparing for a merger, acquisition, or investment that requires privacy and cybersecurity due diligence.

Local Laws Overview

General Data Protection Regulation. The GDPR applies directly in Greece and governs personal data processing. Core principles include lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity and confidentiality, and accountability. Rights include access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, and safeguards against automated decisions. Controllers must identify lawful bases, maintain records of processing, implement security measures, assess high risk processing with data protection impact assessments, and sign compliant contracts with processors.

Greek Law 4624-2019. This law implements and supplements the GDPR in Greece. It designates the Hellenic Data Protection Authority as the supervisory authority. It sets the age of consent for information society services at 15. It provides additional rules for public bodies and certain processing contexts. It also sets procedures for complaints, investigations, and fines.

Greek e-Privacy Law 3471-2006. This law, as amended, implements the EU e-privacy framework for electronic communications. It covers confidentiality of communications, traffic and location data, marketing by electronic means, and the use of cookies and similar technologies. In practice, most non-essential cookies and trackers require prior consent, clear and granular controls, and an easy way to refuse as easily as to accept, with accurate cookie banners and cookie policies.

Cybersecurity and networks. Greece has national rules aligned with EU network and information security requirements that set obligations for essential and important entities in key sectors to manage cyber risks and report significant incidents to competent authorities. Organizations should monitor legal updates, because EU cybersecurity legislation continues to evolve and Greece periodically updates its framework and national authorities list. Independent of sector rules, all organizations must implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to risk under the GDPR.

Criminal law and cybercrime. Greek criminal law prohibits unauthorized access to systems, illegal interception, data interference, system interference, computer-related fraud, and related offenses. Greece participates in European and international cooperation on cybercrime. Victims can report incidents to the Hellenic Police Cyber Crime Division and pursue civil remedies for damages.

Digital governance and communications. Greek legislation on digital governance and electronic communications sets additional requirements for public sector digital services, trust services, and telecom operators, and interacts with data protection and confidentiality duties. The Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy oversees the confidentiality of communications in Greece.

Local application in Thivais. National and EU rules apply uniformly across Greece, including Thivais. Consumer-facing information such as privacy notices, consent prompts, and signs for CCTV should be available in Greek. Local courts and prosecutors handle civil and criminal matters arising in the area, and local businesses may be inspected or contacted by national authorities during audits or investigations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the GDPR apply to a small business or startup in Thivais

Yes. The GDPR applies to any organization that processes personal data, regardless of size. The scale and nature of your processing influences how extensive your compliance measures must be, but the core obligations and rights still apply.

When do I need to appoint a Data Protection Officer in Greece

You must appoint a Data Protection Officer if you are a public body, or if your core activities involve regular and systematic monitoring of individuals on a large scale, or large scale processing of special categories of data such as health or biometric data, or criminal data. Many organizations also appoint a voluntary DPO for accountability and governance benefits.

What should I do within the first 72 hours after discovering a data breach

Activate your incident response plan, contain and remediate the incident, preserve logs and evidence, assess the likelihood and severity of risk to individuals, consult counsel, and if a reportable personal data breach occurred, notify the Hellenic Data Protection Authority without undue delay and where feasible within 72 hours. If the risk is high, inform affected individuals without undue delay with clear guidance and support.

Can I transfer personal data from Greece to a non EU country

Yes, but you must use an allowed transfer mechanism such as an EU adequacy decision, standard contractual clauses, binding corporate rules, or another valid derogation for occasional transfers. You should assess the destination country laws and implement supplementary measures if needed to ensure essentially equivalent protection.

What are the rules on cookies and online trackers in Greece

Strictly necessary cookies can be used without consent. All other cookies and similar technologies such as analytics, advertising, and social media trackers generally require prior, informed, specific, and freely given consent. You must provide clear information, offer granular choices, and make refusal as easy as acceptance. Pre ticked boxes and bundled consent are not valid.

Is CCTV legal at my shop or office in Thivais

Yes, when it is necessary and proportionate for legitimate purposes such as security. You need visible signage, a clear privacy notice, limited camera angles to avoid excessive capture, access controls, and short retention tailored to the purpose. Greek guidance commonly expects short default retention, for example around two weeks, extended only when an incident requires it and the extension is documented.

Can I monitor employees or use productivity tools that collect usage data

Employee monitoring is tightly constrained. You must have a clear lawful basis, comply with transparency and proportionality, avoid intrusive practices, and respect confidentiality of communications. Inform employees in advance, disable unnecessary features, and conduct a data protection impact assessment where the monitoring is likely high risk.

How do individuals exercise their rights to access or delete data

Individuals can submit a request to the controller. The controller must respond without undue delay and within one month, with limited extensions for complexity. Deletion is not absolute and may be refused where a valid exemption applies, such as legal obligations or establishment of legal claims. Individuals may complain to the Hellenic Data Protection Authority if they believe their rights were infringed.

What is the age of consent for children using online services in Greece

For information society services in Greece, consent by a child is valid from age 15. Below that age, consent must be given or authorized by a holder of parental responsibility. Service providers should implement age appropriate notices and parental authorization flows when relying on consent.

What penalties can apply for non compliance

The Hellenic Data Protection Authority can impose corrective measures such as warnings, orders to comply, and administrative fines that can reach up to the higher GDPR tiers depending on the infringement. Individuals can also seek compensation for material or non material damage. Separate criminal or sector regulatory penalties may apply for certain cyber or communications offenses.

Additional Resources

Hellenic Data Protection Authority. Independent authority supervising data protection compliance and handling complaints in Greece. Provides decisions and guidance.

National Cyber Security Authority. Competent authority for national cybersecurity strategy and oversight of network and information security obligations in Greece.

Hellenic Police Cyber Crime Division. Specialized police unit for reporting cybercrime, fraud, online threats, and digital evidence support.

Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy. Independent authority overseeing confidentiality and security of communications.

Ministry of Digital Governance. Government ministry responsible for digital policy, public sector digital transformation, and relevant legislative initiatives.

Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission. Regulator for electronic communications and postal services, including certain security and consumer protection issues.

European Data Protection Board. EU body that issues guidelines and opinions on GDPR interpretation that are persuasive for practice in Greece.

Local bar associations and legal aid services. For referrals to lawyers experienced in data protection and cyber law who can assist clients in Thivais and nearby regions.

Next Steps

Map your data. List what personal data you collect, why you collect it, where it is stored, who can access it, how long you keep it, and with whom you share it. Identify special categories, minors data, international transfers, and high risk processing.

Assess your legal bases and notices. Ensure each processing activity has a lawful basis, update your privacy notice, cookie banner, and internal records of processing. Prepare scripts and templates for handling data subject requests.

Strengthen security. Implement access controls, encryption, backups, patching, vendor risk management, and logging. Prepare or update your incident response plan, including contact points, legal decision trees, and external experts.

Review vendors and contracts. Sign GDPR compliant data processing agreements, assess international transfer safeguards, and verify subprocessor lists and audit rights. Align your marketing stack and analytics with consent requirements.

Handle high risk activities. Conduct data protection impact assessments for monitoring, biometrics, large scale health data, geolocation, or profiling. Document mitigations and approvals, and consult the Hellenic Data Protection Authority where required by law.

Train people. Provide role based training for staff, management, and IT on privacy, security hygiene, incident reporting, and handling of data subject requests.

Engage local counsel. If you operate in or serve individuals in Thivais, consult a Greece licensed lawyer experienced in cyber law and data protection. Counsel can review your documents, guide breach notifications, interface with authorities, and represent you in disputes or audits.

Prepare for updates. Monitor legal developments and guidance from Greek authorities on cookies, cross border transfers, cybersecurity obligations, and sector specific rules, and schedule periodic compliance reviews.

If you need immediate help, gather relevant documents, timelines, system logs, and contracts, identify your decision makers, and contact a lawyer to coordinate your legal, technical, and communications response in a confidential manner.