Overview
- The Kammergericht Berlin, which issued its decision on August 11, 2026, found that an Impressum email that rejects incoming messages breaches Paragraph 5 of the Digitale‑Dienste‑Gesetz because it prevents fast, direct electronic contact.
- The case began after the Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband sent a test message in November 2025 that triggered an automated reply saying the Impressum address did not accept mail, and the vzbv sued when the company declined to give a cease‑and‑desist declaration.
- The court entered a Versäumnisurteil because the defendant’s EU representative did not respond or appear, ordering the operator to stop the practice and making the ruling legally final after no timely appeal was filed.
- The judgment threatens enforcement measures for noncompliance, including an Ordnungsgeld of up to €250,000 or Ordnungshaft, and requires the defendant to pay the plaintiff’s legal costs including €327.10 plus interest.
- The ruling reinforces earlier regional decisions and signals compliance risk for online services that use ‘login‑only’ support or automated rejection workflows, which providers must replace with genuinely functioning Impressum contact channels to avoid consumer enforcement.