The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force in the European Union in 2016, required that all data belonging to EU citizens be stored on servers based in Europe. Today came the first fine from Europe for organizations that did not comply.
The European Union imposed a record $1.3 billion fine on the European leg of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The justification for the penalty was that data transfer “does not address risks to fundamental rights and freedoms”. Another decision concerning the short and long term was signed.
Meta was also given an instruction about the data:
With the decision by the Irish Data Protection Commission, Meta was not only fined, but instructed to immediately stop sending data of European Facebook users to the US.
Meta threatened Europe last year:
The data fight between Meta and the EU was finally on the agenda last year with the threat of Meta. Meta stated that if the data is not sent to the USA, it may close Instagram and Facebook in Europe, and made an open threat. The EU replied as follows:
Why doesn’t Meta want the data to be sent to the US?
EU citizen data submitted to Meta contributes millions of people to Meta’s advertising activities.
Why doesn’t the EU trust Meta?
The EU’s doubts about Meta are not unique to Meta. The origin of GDPR dates back to 2013 when US whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed how the US government is observing the entire world through the digital network. The EU only wants the data to be stored on its territory because of the potential for it to be used for surveillance.
First statement from Meta about punishment: “Unfair”
Meta stated that they would appeal the decision made in Ireland and described the decision as “flawed” and “unjustified”. Meta President Nick Clegg argued that data transfer protects the internet from the risks posed by national and regional division.
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