fined $1.3 Billion by EU for privacy violation //

Meta was fined a record-breaking $1.3 billion by the European Union due to its violation of data transfer laws.

What happened? According to the Irish Data Protection Commission, Facebook violated the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation by transferring data to the U.S. Meta’s European Headquarters are located in Dublin.

The ruling’s implications for Meta. Meta was given five months in which to stop any further transfers of personal data from the EU/EEA to the U.S.

Why we care. Facebook would be forced to delete huge amounts of data, and completely restructure their IT systems if the ruling were implemented. This would also have huge implications for companies that transfer data between the two regions.

Only Facebook. Only Facebook.

What Meta says. Meta plans to appeal. Nick Clegg is Meta’s President of Global Affairs and Jennifer Newstead its Chief Legal Officer, stated in a press release.

• This decision is flawed, unjustified, and sets a precedent that could be dangerous for the many other companies who transfer data between the EU & U.S.”

Conflict of laws. A new data transfer agreement between the U.S.A. and EU is the best hope to stay the ruling.

These transfers were protected until 2020 by the Privacy Shield agreement between the two governments. In 2010, the EU’s top court declared the Privacy Shield treaty invalid because it failed to adequately protect EU citizens from American spy agencies.

Since the ruling of the high court, negotiations have begun. The outline of a deal was announced by President Biden last year with Ursula von der Leyen of the European Union. However, the details have yet to be worked out.

This decision could increase pressure on the U.S. The complexity of the issue makes it difficult to act quickly.

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