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Facebook owner Meta fined more than $400 million over targeted advertising

Meta

Meta fined more than $400 million over targeted advertising

Irish data authorities have fined Meta $414 million (€390 million) for online privacy violations.

The Facebook parent is also prohibited from forcing European users to agree to personalized ads based on what they do online.

The Data Protection Commission hit Meta with € 210 million euros in fines for breaking the European Union's strict data privacy laws involving Facebook. 

READ MORE: META FINED $275 MILLION FOR VIOLATING EU DATA PRIVACY LAW

It has also been fined an extra €180 million for infringements involving Instagram.

The case could lead to changes in Meta's business model of sending targeted ads to users based on their internet activities.

It is the authority's latest penalty for Meta's data privacy breaches, following four earlier fines totaling more than €900 million since 2021.

The ruling stems from May 2018 complaints when the 27-nation EU's privacy rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, went into force.

READ MORE: GOOGLE FACES ANOTHER CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OVER ANTI-COMPETITION

Meta had leaned on obtaining informed consent from users to collect their personal data to send them personalized, or behavioral, ads. 

But when GDPR took effect, the company's legal foundation was altered.

It started processing user data by adding a phrase in the terms of service for advertising, thus forcing users to approve that their data could be used, violating EU privacy laws.

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The Irish watchdog initially supported Meta but changed its side after the draft decision was sent to a board of EU data regulators, many of whom opposed it.

It ruled in its final decision that Meta "is not entitled to rely on the 'contract' legal basis to deliver behavioral adverts on Facebook and Instagram."

Meta said: "We strongly believe our approach respects GDPR, and we're therefore disappointed by these decisions and intend to appeal both the substance of the rulings and the fines."

Since its regional offices are in Dublin, the Irish authority is Meta's principal European data privacy regulator.

Source: CBS News

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