Outcome at a glance
Google won its appeal. The representative damages claim could not proceed in the form advanced, and permission to serve Google outside the jurisdiction was refused.
Allegations & issues
Lloyd alleged unlawful tracking of iPhone users and sought uniform compensation without proving each person’s circumstances.
Key rulings & findings
Under section 13 of the Data Protection Act 1998, unlawful processing alone did not establish compensable damage. The proposed claim lacked individual proof of processing and resulting material damage or distress.
Admissions
No admission is recorded in this appeal outcome.
Disposition
Appeal unanimously allowed; the first-instance order refusing permission to serve abroad was restored.
Penalties, damages & redress
No damages were awarded in this appeal.
Restrictions & obligations
The decision addressed the proposed representative claim, not a regulatory sanction.
THE UNDERLYING RECORD
Primary sources
Read the full documents for their precise wording and context. Regulator summaries are identified separately from court records.
Court record · supremecourt.uk01 · Supreme Court · Case record and judgment ↗Court record · supremecourt.uk02 · Supreme Court · Press summary, 10 November 2021 ↗