'It's so clear that this is illegal': Meta faces Rs 82 lakh daily fine over privacy issues

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram is facing significant fines and potential European implications due to privacy breaches, according to Norway's data protection authority, Datatilsynet. The authority announced on Monday that Meta will be fined one million Norwegian Krone (around Rs 82 lakh) per day starting from August 4th until November 3rd, unless remedial action is taken by the company.

The primary issue highlighted by Datatilsynet is Meta's unlawful harvesting of user data in Norway, specifically users' physical locations, for the purpose of targeted advertising known as behavioural advertising. This practice, which is prevalent among major technology companies, is deemed illegal by the Norwegian authority. Tobias Judin, the head of Datatilsynet's international section, emphasised the urgency of intervention, stating to Reuters, "It is so clear that this is illegal that we need to intervene now and immediately. We cannot wait any longer."

Meta has responded to the decision by stating that it will review Datatilsynet's ruling, and it anticipates no immediate impact on its services. However, if Meta fails to comply, the fine could become permanent, and the territorial scope of the decision could expand throughout Europe. 

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Datatilsynet has referred the case to the European Data Protection Board, and with their agreement, the fine and consequences for Meta could intensify. Judin commented, "It would put additional pressure on Meta."

This recent development follows a ruling by the European Union's top court, which determined that Meta is prohibited from harvesting user data for behavioural advertising. Additionally, in December, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), where Meta's European headquarters are located, ordered the company to cease this practice. Meta stated that it continues to engage with the Irish DPC regarding compliance with its decision, acknowledging the ongoing debate surrounding legal bases and the lack of regulatory certainty in this domain.

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