Meta receives the highest fine related to GDPR
Since GDPR came into force 2018, Meta has collected some costly fines due to violation of EU data privacy rules. The company can now add another fine to its collection, but this time it’s the highest fine ever received related to data privacy.
Meta (the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) has earlier been fined for forcing users to accept personalised ads as a requirement of using Facebook and for data leakage.
This time, Meta has received a fine of $1.3 billion because of the unsafe transfer of EU citizen’s personal data to the United States.
This decision is based on earlier issues regarding cross-border data flows between American tech companies and the European Union. In 2020, the European Court of Justice canceled a data flow agreement between the U.S. and the EU because of concerns over the surveillance practices of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Since this decision was made, a new data flow agreement has been in the process which is expected to be finalised later this year.
The fine was issued by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is the national authority responsible for protecting the fundamental right of EU citizens and their personal data.
Meta’s $1.3 billion fine is a landmark event in the ongoing battle to safeguard user privacy and hold tech giants accountable for their actions. The penalty serves as a strong reminder that companies must prioritise the security and responsible handling of personal data. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, regulatory inspections and user expectations will grow, forcing companies to adapt and transform their practices to meet the challenges of the future.