Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Dec 12, 2024

Meta: Facebook owner fined €1.2 billion for mishandling data

Meta: Facebook owner fined €1.2 billion for mishandling data

Facebook’s owner, Meta, has been fined €1.2 billion (£1 billion) for mishandling people’s data when transferring it between Europe and the United States.
Issued by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), it is the largest fine imposed under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation privacy law.

GDPR sets out rules companies must follow to transfer user data outside of the EU. Meta says it will appeal against the “unjustified and unnecessary” ruling.

At the crux of this decision is the use of standard contractual clauses (SCCs) to move European Union data to the US.

These legal contracts, prepared by the European Commission, contain safeguards to ensure personal data continues to be protected when transferred outside Europe.

But there are concerns these data flows still expose Europeans to the US’s weaker privacy laws — and US intelligence could access the data.

This decision does not affect Facebook in the UK. The Information Commissioner’s Office told the BBC that the decision “does not apply in the UK” but said it had “noted the decision and will review the details in due course”.

Most large companies have complex webs of data transfers - which can include email addresses, phone numbers and financial information - to overseas recipients, many of which depend on SCCs.

And Meta says their broad use makes the fine unfair.

Facebook President Nick Clegg said: “We are therefore disappointed to have been singled out when using the same legal mechanism as thousands of other companies looking to provide services in Europe.

“This decision is flawed, unjustified and sets a dangerous precedent for the countless other companies transferring data between the EU and US.”

But privacy groups have welcomed that precedent.

Caitlin Fennessy, of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, said: “The size of this record-breaking fine is matched by the significance of the signal it sends.

“Today’s decision signals that companies have a whole lot of risk on the table.”

It could make EU companies demand US partners stored data within Europe - or switch to domestic alternatives, she added.

In 2013, former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden disclosed American authorities had repeatedly accessed people’s information via technology companies such as Facebook and Google.

And Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems filed a legal challenge against Facebook for failing to protect his privacy rights, setting off a decade-long battle over the legality of moving EU data to the US.

Europe’s highest court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), has repeatedly said Washington has insufficient checks in place to protect Europeans’ information.

And in 2020, the ECJ, ruled an EU-to-US data transfer agreement invalid.

But the ECJ left the door open for companies to use SCCs, saying the transfer of data to any other third country was valid as long as it ensured an “adequate level of data protection”.

It is that test Meta has been found to have failed.

Asked about the €1.2 billion fine, Schrems said he was “happy to see this decision after 10 years of litigation” but it could have been much higher.

“Unless US surveillance laws get fixed, Meta will have to fundamentally restructure its systems,” he added.

Despite the record-breaking size of the fine, experts have said they think Meta’s privacy practices will not change.

“A billion-euro parking ticket is of no consequence to a company that earns many more billions by parking illegally,” Johnny Ryan, a senior fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.

The US recently updated its internal legal protections to give the EU greater assurances American intelligence agencies would follow new rules governing such data access.

In 2021, Amazon was fined for similarly flouting the EU’s privacy standard.

Ireland’s DPC has also fined WhatsApp, another Meta-owned business, for breaching stringent regulations relating to the transparency of data shared with its other subsidiaries.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Global Trials and Tensions: The Stories Reshaping International Dynamics
South Korea's Presidential Office Raided Amid Allegations of Martial Law Plan
Navigating Uncertainty: Israel's Calculated Engagement with a Changing Syria
The Illusion of Innocence: How Bashar and Asma al-Assad Deceived the Media
Polarization: The Word That Unites a Divided Era
The Obsession That Could Divide: GB News and Its Singular Focus on UK Muslims
Anatomy of Regime Change: The Key Players in Syria's Tumultuous Fall
Syria After Assad: A Pyrrhic Victory with Uncertain Horizons
The Day After Assad: Can Syria Steer Clear of Libya's Pitfalls?
Iranian Embassy in Damascus Attacked Amidst Rising Tensions
Geopolitical Chess: Trump's Reflections on Russia's Waned Syrian Influence
Syria's New Chapter: A Historic Shift and the Hopes for Peace
A New Dawn in Damascus: Challenges of a Post-Assad Transition
A New Dawn in Syria: The Flag That Signals Change
Lone Wolf or Symptom? Unpacking the Insider Attack in Yemen
Keir Starmer's Gulf Gambit: Balancing Diplomacy and Principles
Dubai Hosts Largest Middle East AI Summit with Innovative Challenges
UAE’s Quantum Leap: Pioneering the Future of Computing
Balancing the Final Frontier: The New Asteroid Discovery and Our Global Priorities
New Asteroid Discovery Highlights International Collaboration in Space Exploration
UAE's Ambitious Leap into Space Research
Benralizumab: A Breakthrough in Asthma Treatment After 50 Years
Benralizumab: A Breakthrough Decades in the Making
From Desert Dromedaries to Cutting-Edge Medicine: The Advent of Nanobodies
Cosmic Wonders and Earthly Breakthroughs: A Week of Celestial and Scientific Marvels
Dark Energy's Dance: Revisiting Cosmic Constants
A Temporary Release: The Fragile Freedom of Iran's Narges Mohammadi
OpenAI and Anduril: Charting AI's Path in Modern Warfare
Seoul in Turmoil: Yoon Suk Yeol’s Martial Law Blunder Ignites Political Upheaval
Taliban Bans Afghan Women from Medical Training Amid Health Crisis
Syrian Rebels Make Major Gains in Aleppo
World Court to Assess Global Legal Responsibilities on Climate Change
UK Intelligence Chief Cautions: Iran's Nuclear Aspirations Present Worldwide Danger
Hezbollah Chief Declares 'Great Victory' Against Israel
Hamas Delegation Engages in Gaza Ceasefire Talks in Egypt
Rebel Advances Lead to Aleppo Airport Closure
UK Intelligence Chief Alerts: Iran's Nuclear Intentions Represent a Worldwide Danger
Putin Warns Trump Isn’t Safe—And Here’s Why That Might Be True
Can Donald Trump Bring Peace to the Middle East—or Is It Beyond His Reach?
COP29's Carbon Trading Deal Faces Major Criticisms
Global Erosion of Women’s Basic Rights
Putin Warns Trump of Ongoing Safety Concerns
From Islamophobia Concerns to Global Alliances: A Snapshot of Key Developments
Global Unrest: From Fragile Ceasefires to Free Speech Battles and Defense Shifts
Global Developments: Israel's ICC Critique, Saudi Infrastructure Upgrades, and Middle Eastern Economic and Educational Advancements
Trump Nominates Kellogg for Ukraine-Russia Envoy Amid Global Tensions; Israel Appeals ICC Arrest Warrants
UAE Consumer Spending Soars; Saudi Arabia Drives GCC Unity Amid Global Oil and Policy Shifts
China's Military Shake-Up: Anti-Corruption Clampdown Rivals Middle East Innovation Drive and Rising Tensions
Operation Orion: Global Drug Bust Shakes Cartels as Nations Tackle Emerging Challenges and Crises
Global Turmoil: From UK Investigations to U.S. Sanctions, Trade Tensions, and Corporate Challenges
×