Irish regulators on Wednesday hit Facebook parent Meta with hundreds of millions in fines for online privacy violations and banned the company from forcing European users to agree to personalized ads based on their online activity.
IrelandB次元官网网址檚 Data Protection Commission imposed two fines totaling 390 million euros ($414 million) in its decision in two cases that could shake up MetaB次元官网网址檚 business model targeting users with ads based on what they do online.
The watchdog fined Meta 210 million euros for violations of the European UnionB次元官网网址檚 strict data privacy rules involving Facebook and an additional 180 million euros for breaches involving Instagram.
ItB次元官网网址檚 the commissionB次元官网网址檚 latest punishment for Meta for data privacy infringements, for the company since 2021 that total more than 900 million euros.
The decision stems from complaints filed in May 2018 when the 27-nation EUB次元官网网址檚 privacy rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, took effect.
Previously, Meta relied on getting informed consent from users to process their personal data to serve them personalized, or behavioral, ads. When GDPR came into force, the company changed the legal basis under which it processes user data by adding a clause to the terms of service for advertisements, effectively forcing users to agree that their data could be used. That violates EU privacy rules.
The Irish watchdog initially sided with Meta but changed its position after the draft decision was sent to a board of EU data protection regulators, many of whom objected.
In its final decision, the Irish watchdog said Meta B次元官网网址渋s not entitled to rely on the B次元官网网址榗ontractB次元官网网址� legal basis to deliver behavioral adverts on Facebook and Instagram.B次元官网网址�
Meta said in a statement that B次元官网网址渨e strongly believe our approach respects GDPR, and weB次元官网网址檙e therefore disappointed by these decisions and intend to appeal both the substance of the rulings and the fines.B次元官网网址�
The Irish watchdog is MetaB次元官网网址檚 lead European data privacy regulator because its regional headquarters is in Dublin.
