Meta, the owner of Facebook, has been fined a record €1.2 billion by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DCP) for violating European Union data protection rules. They have also been ordered to cease transferring data collected from Facebook users in Europe to the United States. The penalty is a significant outcome under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDRP), marking one of the most important rulings in the past five years.
The company failed to comply with a 2020 decision by the European Union’s highest court, which stated that data sent across the Atlantic was not adequately protected from American intelligence agencies. The ruling applies solely to Facebook and does not include Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta intends to appeal the decision and assures that there will be no immediate disruption to Facebook‘s service in the European Union.
Meta has five months to comply with the ruling, during which they must secure the data of Facebook users in Europe, including photos, friend connections, direct messages, and targeted advertising information. The legal process is expected to be lengthy due to the company’s appeal. The case against Meta originates from U.S. policies allowing intelligence agencies to intercept international communications, which violated the fundamental rights of European users according to a 2020 ruling by the European Court of Justice.
