Digital Privacy in Europe: Why a Raid on a Data Protection Agency Matters to Travelers

Why a police raid on Italy’s data protection agency should make travelers pay attention

If you’re planning a trip to Europe, you probably worry about pickpockets and phishing — but a raid on a national data protection regulator is a different kind of threat. In January 2026 Italian police searched the offices of Italy’s data protection agency as part of a corruption probe. That’s not just a headline: it matters for how hotels, airlines and local services collect, store and share your personal data while you travel.

Quick takeaway — what travelers need to know right now

• Regulatory disruption can slow or change enforcement, creating gaps in guidance or delays in complaint handling that directly affect your data rights.
• Operational risk at a regulator can ripple to businesses that rely on its decisions, meaning hotels and airlines could temporarily change their data handling practices — not always for the better.
• You can reduce exposure immediately by limiting shared data, using virtual payment options, and exercising GDPR rights when you suspect mishandling.

The context: what happened and why it matters

On January 16, 2026, Reuters reported that Italian finance police conducted searches at Italy’s data protection authority in connection with an investigation. Italy’s DPA has been one of the EU’s most active regulators on privacy enforcement, setting precedents that often influence hotels, airlines and other travel services across Europe.

According to Reuters: "Italian police searched the offices of the country's data protection agency, one of EU's most proactive regulators, as part of a corruption probe." (Jan 16, 2026)

Why that single event matters for travelers: national DPAs do more than investigate breaches. They publish sector-specific guidance, negotiate cross-border data-sharing rules, and issue decisions that businesses rely on when building booking systems, loyalty programs and check-in workflows. If a regulator is under investigation or operations are disrupted, that can create a short-term vacuum — and businesses will react in ways that affect your privacy.

How regulatory uncertainty flows to the travel experience

Think of a national DPA as part watch-dog and part industry convenor. When it’s incapacitated or distracted, three practical effects can appear quickly in travel settings:

1. Delays and ambiguity in breach handling and guidance

If a DPA has limited staffing or a freeze on certain activities while an investigation proceeds, travel companies may receive slower responses to questions or requests for approvals tied to new data-processing setups. That creates a grey zone where hotels or airlines may:

• Delay notifying affected travelers about a breach.
• Proceed with interim practices (like expanded data retention or copying passports) without fresh oversight.
• Push data protection responsibilities onto third-party vendors without updated Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) in place.

2. Rapid operational changes that prioritize convenience over privacy

In the absence of clear enforcement signals, companies sometimes favor operational stability. For travel vendors that means faster check-ins, more biometric gates, and broader sharing of Passenger Name Records (PNR) or guest lists — all of which can increase your data exposure if not properly constrained.

3. Increased risk in cross-border data transfers and vendor management

Italy’s regulator plays a role in cross-border decisions that affect how EU data flows to non-EU processors. Disruption at the national level can slow the negotiation of Standard Contractual Clauses or coordination with other DPAs — leaving travel companies to default to less-protective practices or to pause services that rely on certain cloud providers.

Where travelers’ data is most at risk

Focus on the places travel companies collect the largest volumes of personal data and where you have the least control:

Hotels and short-term rentals

• ID scans and copies: Many hotels routinely scan passports or national IDs at check-in to meet local registration laws. Copies often remain on property systems or get emailed to central offices.
• Guest profiles: Loyalty programs, preferences, payment tokens and stay histories create rich profiles that are tempting for misuse.
• Third-party integrations: Cleaning services, payment processors and OTAs (online travel agencies) often get access to guest data through APIs and vendor portals.

Airlines and airports

• PNR and API: Passenger Name Records contain itinerary, payment, contact, and sometimes special-service needs — shared with border and security agencies.
• Biometrics: Identity verification (face and fingerprint) is expanding at gates and kiosks across Europe, driven by EU programs and private airport rollouts.
• Frequent flyer accounts: Connected payments and partner data-sharing increase exposure.

Local services and apps

• Taxi and ride apps collect location trails linked to user identity.
• Tour operators and ticketing platforms ask for passport data for reservations or vouchers.
• City-wide digital ID pilots and travel credentials (EU eID wallet rollouts in 2024–2026) change the way identity is shared — sometimes for the better, sometimes without full oversight.

Recent 2025–2026 trends that raise stakes

Several developments through late 2025 and early 2026 make the timing of the Italy DPA investigation especially relevant:

• Biometric expansion: Airports and border guards in EU states accelerated deployment of biometric gates and mobile e-gates in 2024–2025; guidance on their lawful use continued to evolve in late 2025.
• Digital identity momentum: EU digital identity wallets and eID solutions moved from pilots to national rollouts across multiple member states in 2025, changing how travel IDs are presented and stored.
• AI in travel operations: The use of AI for fraud detection and personalization increased in 2025, prompting DPAs and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to update guidance on automated decision-making and high-risk profiles.
• Data transfer scrutiny: Following Schrems II and interim decisions, 2024–2025 saw renewed attention to cross-border transfers; national DPAs often act as the first point of contact for sectoral clarifications.

Scenarios travelers might encounter and what they mean

Here are realistic scenarios and the practical privacy impact for you as a traveler:

Scenario A — Hotel asks to scan your passport and email it to a central office

Why this happens: local law, chain operating procedures, or an OTA requirement. Risk: data copies may be retained longer than necessary, stored insecurely, or forwarded to vendors.

Traveler action: Ask for alternatives. Under GDPR you can request that only required fields be recorded. Offer to show the passport (not hand over a copy) and ask staff to record the minimum data.

Scenario B — Airline uses biometric boarding and stores templates in a third-party cloud

Why this happens: speed and automation. Risk: biometric templates are especially sensitive; if mismanaged, they cannot be "changed" like a password.

Traveler action: Opt out where feasible, choose non-biometric lanes, or request information on retention and third-party processors before consenting.

Scenario C — Local tour app requests full passport number and photo for a reservation

Why this happens: identity checks or fraud prevention. Risk: apps with weak security or unclear data use may leak or sell data.

Traveler action: Use a photo of only the page required, blur non-essential fields, or ask the operator to accept verification in person at pickup.

What you can do today — a practical traveler privacy checklist

Use these prioritized, travel-ready steps to reduce exposure before and during a trip to Europe.

Before you travel

• Limit data at booking: Provide the minimum required fields. Skip loyalty enrollment if unnecessary.
• Use virtual payment methods: Virtual card numbers or single-use tokens limit fraud from a leaked merchant database.
• Read privacy summaries: Scan hotel and airline privacy summaries for retention periods, third-party sharing, and legal bases for processing.
• Set up secure accounts: Use strong, unique passwords and enable 2FA on booking platforms and airline apps.

At check-in and in transit

• Offer to show, not copy: Politely request that staff record only necessary details without retaining a photo or scanned copy.
• Ask about retention: Request confirmation that IDs or copies will be deleted after check-out — and get the staff member’s name.
• Opt out of biometrics: When possible, choose manual checks. If biometric gates are mandatory at a border, ask how data are stored and for how long.
• Use a burner number and email: Use a temporary phone number and email for non-essential services and bookings.

If you suspect misuse or a breach

1. Immediately change passwords for any linked accounts and cancel/replace payment cards used with the compromised vendor.
2. Document the interaction (dates, names, screenshots) and request a copy of the data held about you under a GDPR subject access request.
3. File a complaint with the national DPA of the country where the incident occurred — or your home DPA if cross-border.
4. Monitor credit, frequent-flyer and bank accounts for suspicious activity and use identity-monitoring services if available.

How enforcement and legal remedies may change

If Italy’s regulator becomes less active in the short term because of an investigation, enforcement activity across the EU may still proceed through coordination with other national DPAs and the EDPB. But expect the following practical shifts:

• Slower complaint processing: Time-sensitive breaches may see delayed outcomes if key personnel are unavailable.
• Temporary guidance gaps: Hotels and airlines may operate under older guidance until national leadership is restored or EDPB steps in with pan-EU clarification.
• Litigation risk: Private litigation or class actions in national courts could increase as consumers seek remediation directly rather than waiting for regulator action.

Longer-term impacts and what to watch for in 2026

Looking beyond the immediate disruption, several possible longer-term outcomes could affect traveler data privacy:

• Policy tightening or reforms: A corruption probe could trigger governance reforms in the DPA, leading to new transparency rules that change how businesses interact with the regulator.
• Shift in enforcement priorities: Other DPAs may step in to fill enforcement gaps, potentially shifting focus toward biometrics, AI or cross-border transfers in travel.
• Corporate defensiveness: Travel companies may harden data collection to avoid regulatory exposure — that could mean more data retention in some cases or faster anonymization in others.

Practical templates and scripts for travelers

Use these short templates when interacting with hotels or airlines. Keep them on your phone and copy/paste as needed.

Template: asking a hotel not to keep a copy of your passport

"I understand you need to verify my identity for registration. I prefer not to have a copy of my passport retained. Can you record only the required fields (name, nationality, passport number last 4 digits) and confirm deletion of any images within 7 days of checkout?"

Template: requesting data deletion after a stay

"Under data protection laws, I request confirmation that all copies of my passport and personal data related to booking reference [XXXX] have been deleted. Please confirm the date and method of deletion and any third parties who received my data."

When to escalate: indicators you should file a formal complaint

File a GDPR complaint if you see any of the following:

• Unauthorized disclosure (your data appears in spam, fraud attempts, or sold to third parties without consent).
• No response from a data controller after a subject access request (SAR) within one month.
• Evidence of systemic poor handling (repeated requests from staff to copy IDs even after you asked them not to).

Final thoughts — a traveler's privacy playbook for 2026

Regulatory shocks like the raid on Italy’s DPA are not just political drama. They create real, immediate privacy consequences for travelers who rely on predictable enforcement and clear guidance. The good news: most of the risk is manageable with a few practical moves. Limit what you share, use virtual payments, ask hotels and airlines the right questions, and be ready to assert your rights under the GDPR if something goes wrong.

As European travel infrastructures modernize — with biometrics, digital identity wallets and AI-driven systems scaling through 2026 — the balance between convenience and privacy will shift quickly. Regulators, including national DPAs and the EDPB, remain critical to keeping the system in check. Follow their guidance and keep a privacy-first mindset on every trip.

Actionable next steps

• Download a travel privacy checklist to store on your phone (keep passport originals safe; avoid unnecessary copies).
• Before your next booking, enable virtual cards and 2FA on travel accounts.
• If you experience a suspected data breach while abroad, document it and file a GDPR complaint — don’t wait for the regulator to be fully operational to seek redress.

Stay informed and protect your data

If you want step-by-step templates, a printable in-room privacy checklist, and weekly updates on DPA actions across the EU, subscribe to our travel-security newsletter. Travel smarter in 2026: keep your identity private, your payments secure, and your journeys uninterrupted.

Call to action: Subscribe now for a free Travel Privacy Checklist and real-time alerts when regulators or travel vendors change privacy policies that affect travelers.

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