DUBLIN, Ireland: An Irish High Court judge has allowed the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) to begin a class action-style lawsuit against Microsoft. The case involves alleged data breaches that may have affected many Irish consumers.

The ICCL says Microsoft Ireland Operations Ltd. is breaking GDPR rules and the Irish Data Protection Act 2018. The group claims Microsoft is processing personal data through its real-time bidding system, which is used for online advertising.

On Monday, ICCL's lawyers, led by James Doherty SC and Sean O'Sullivan BL, asked the court to approve the case as a representative action. This type of case allows an approved organization to act on behalf of many consumers under the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Act 2023. The ICCL is one of only two groups in Ireland officially recognized for bringing such cases.

In court documents, the ICCL said it wants to represent all consumers in Ireland whose data rights are allegedly being violated by Microsoft's actions.

Justice Barry O'Donnell, who is handling the case, said this is likely the first such application in Irish courts. He agreed to allow the ICCL to bring the case as a representative action but stressed that only the ICCL's side had been heard so far. Microsoft will have a chance to challenge this decision later if it chooses.

The judge also allowed the ICCL to officially serve legal documents to Microsoft. The ICCL is asking the court to issue orders stopping Microsoft from processing certain types of personal data.

According to the ICCL, the primary concern is Microsoft's use of personal data to deliver targeted advertising. The group says Microsoft may be sending out detailed profiles of individuals to a large number of advertisers using its real-time bidding system.

The ICCL questions whether users are giving proper consent for this type of data sharing or even understand how widely their personal information is being used.

The group says the alleged data breaches could affect people using many Microsoft products and services, including Windows, Xbox, Office online, the Edge browser, and websites or apps that use Microsoft's Xandr advertising system.