Maybe the walls are finally closing in on them?
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has essentially taken the role as the voice of the European Union, as they announce a fine against Meta for $1.3 billion saying that they violated EU data protection rules.
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This fine is the first of its kind overseas, and it could create a domino effect. Facebook’s days might be numbered.
Five years ago, the EU instituted a law called the General Data Protection Regulation. In 2020, EU’s version of the Supreme Court ruled that Meta didn’t properly protect European data gleaned from Facebook from potential American spies. To the EU, their residents’ info was wide open so their data could very well be harvested.
Meta says they’ll appeal and that there will be no disruptions in terms of app usage in Europe.
This also puts a potential agreement between the US and EU on data sharing on hold. A draft of such a deal was released last year, but there’s been little follow through.
This concern for risk was based on a 2020 lawsuit by a privacy activist in Austria. He sued both the US and EU over their “Privacy Shield” agreement. That would allow Europe and the US to transfer data internally and somewhat securely. He said it violated his right to privacy.
And now because of this, Ireland feels any spy in the US could get their grubby hands all over European data.
An EU spokesperson sounded hopeful saying, “The unprecedented fine is a strong signal to organizations that serious infringements have far-reaching consequences.”
Meta will do its best not to follow instructions, but Europe could just ban them in response. Expect this to become an ongoing war.
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