Meta to Be Fined $100,000 per Day Over Privacy Breaches Unless Firm Takes Remedial Action: Norway Regulator

Regulator Datatilsynet said it would charge the fine every day from August 4 until November 3 unless Meta takes action.

By Reuters | Updated: 17 July 2023 15:40 IST

Photo Credit: Reuters

The regulator said Meta cannot harvest user data in Norway, such as users' physical locations

Highlights

The fine will be charged every day from August 4 until November 3
EU court ruled Meta cannot harvest user data for behavioural advertising
Datatilsynet has referred its move to the European Data Protection Board

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms will be fined $100,000 (roughly Rs. 82 lakh) per day over privacy breaches unless it takes remedial action, Norway's data protection authority said on Monday, in a move that could have wider European implications.

Regulator Datatilsynet said it would charge the fine every day from August 4 until November 3 unless Meta takes action.

It said Meta cannot harvest user data in Norway, such as users' physical locations, and use it to target advertising at them, called behavioural advertising, a business model common to Big Tech.

Meta Set to Contest EU Antitrust Charges at Friday Hearing to Avoid Hefty Fine

"It is so clear that this is illegal that we need to intervene now and immediately. We cannot wait any longer," Tobias Judin, head of Datatilsynet's international section, told Reuters.

Meta said it would review Datatilsynet's decision and that there would be no immediate impact on its services.

Datatilsynet has referred its move to the European Data Protection Board, which, if the latter agrees, could make the fine permanent and widen the decision's territorial scope in Europe.

Canada to Stop Spending on Facebook and Instagram Ads

"It would put additional pressure on Meta," said Judin.

Datatilsynet's decision comes days after the European Union's top court ruled Meta cannot harvest user data for behavioural advertising.

In December the data regulator in Ireland (DPC), where Meta has its European headquarters, said the firm had to stop the practice.

Italy Begins Audit of Facebook Parent Meta in $925 Million Tax Case

"We continue to constructively engage with the Irish DPC, our lead regulator in the EU, regarding our compliance with its decision," Meta said.

"The debate around legal bases has been ongoing for some time and businesses continue to face a lack of regulatory certainty in this area."

Norway is not a member of the European Union but is part of the European single market.

The news was first reported by Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

Will the Nothing Phone 2 serve as the successor to the Phone 1, or will the two co-exist? We discuss the company's recently launched handset and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.