r/gdpr • u/No-Web-5030 • 7m ago
EU 🇪🇺 How are you handling attendee data under GDPR at large events?
I’ve spent years running large live events in Spain, and I keep hitting the same wall. Ticketing, cashless/RFID and POS systems generate huge amounts of attendee data. Most of it either sits unused or gets used in ways that wouldn’t survive a serious GDPR audit.
The approach I’ve landed on has three parts:
- Event operations run on contract as the legal basis
- Aggregate, cohort-level analytics run on legitimate interest, with a real opt-out
- Consent only for personalisation or sharing with third parties
Brands and artists never get raw fan contacts. Messages go out through the platform instead.
I’m also exploring an Article 40 code of conduct specifically for live events: festivals, stadiums, venues. Nothing like it exists yet as far as I can tell.
Questions for people doing this day to day:
- Has your DPO accepted legitimate interest for event analytics, or do they insist on consent?
- Would an industry code of conduct actually help you, or just add paperwork?