A report by the Génération Libre think tank links rising data breaches in France to European regulations. The CNIL is tightening controls after a record year in 2025.
A forthcoming note from the Génération Libre think tank, founded in 2013 by Gaspard Koenig, criticizes the European regulatory model. Signed by researcher Grégory Lenne, it accuses complex rules of driving companies toward administrative compliance rather than actual data security.
The figures confirm the trend. France recorded 6167 data breach notifications in 2025, up from 4668 in 2024, averaging 24 leaks per day. In the first three months of 2026, the CNIL already received 2730 reports.
CNIL president Marie-Laure Denis lamented a 50 percent rise over three years. The authority has announced more inspections and heavier fines to reverse the trend.