IrelandCCTV footage of me was shared without consent.
Sharing CCTV footage of you without your consent may breach the Data Protection Act 2018, which requires lawful, fair, and transparent processing of personal data.
What the Law Says
The Data Protection Act 2018 gives effect to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Ireland and sets out rules for how personal data — including images from CCTV — must be handled.
CCTV footage that identifies you is considered 'personal data' under Irish law. This means anyone who captures, stores, or shares that footage must comply with strict legal obligations.
Under section 38 of the Data Protection Act 2018, personal data must be processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently. Sharing footage without your consent generally fails this test unless a specific lawful basis applies — such as legal obligation, legitimate interest (with safeguards), or explicit consent.
The law also gives you rights, including the right to access footage of yourself, request its erasure (in certain cases), and object to its processing.
Statutory TextPersonal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject.
— Data Protection Act 2018, s. 38 — Principles relating to processing of personal data
What to Do
Contact the organisation that shared the footage and ask for a copy and explanation of the lawful basis used.
Submit a formal data subject access request (DSAR) in writing — they must respond within one month.
If unsatisfied, file a complaint with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) online at dataprotection.ie.
Request erasure if the footage was shared unlawfully — they must act without undue delay, usually within 7 days.
Keep records of all correspondence and dates for your complaint or potential legal action.
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.