According to media reports, the Facebook conglomerate Meta is fighting back against the record fine of 1.2 billion euros imposed on it for privacy violations. After immense pressure from Brussels, the typically business-friendly Irish Data Protection Commission has now imposed the fine and decided that Facebook is no longer allowed to transfer personal data of European users to the USA. Meta criticizes the decision as flawed and unjustified. It is expected that Meta will take legal action against the decision.
Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems, known for his successful complaint against Facebook, expresses dissatisfaction with the fine. Schrems emphasizes that the maximum penalty is over four billion euros, and Meta has knowingly violated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for years.
In the meantime, negotiations are underway between the EU and the USA regarding possible new data privacy exceptions.
According to media reports, since 2018, GDPR fines totaling four billion euros have been imposed, with Meta being responsible for the lion's share. Meta is prominently ranked six times in the top ten fines list, with its penalties amounting to 2.5 billion euros.
The newly issued fine comes at a particularly challenging time for Meta as the company faces difficulties in offsetting the revenue decline due to general advertising restraint.