A European Union privacy regulator fined Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta more than $400 million on Wednesday, accusing the social media giant of illegally forcing users to agree to receive personalized ads based on their online activity—a potential major hit to the platform, which plans to appeal.
Facebook parent company Meta was fined more than $400 million in the EU for violating a law ... [+]
The ruling in Ireland’s Data Protection Commission—Meta’s primary regulator in the EU—determined the company’s placement of legal consent within the terms of service forces users to accept targeted ads, and fined the company 390 million euros ($414 million).
Those agreements violate the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs the collection of personal information, according to the ruling.
In a statement on Wednesday, the social media giant said it disagrees with the ruling, saying its approach “respects GDPR,” and that the company is planning an appeal.
Meta Fined More Than $400 Million for Sending Ads Based on Online Activity (Wall Street Journal)
