Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is fined a record 1.2 billion euros

This is a record in Europe. Meta was fined 1.2 billion euros on Monday May 22 by the Irish regulator for violating European data protection rules (GDPR) with its social network Facebook. This is the highest fine ever imposed in Europe for this type of offence. Amazon was fined 746 million euros in June 2021 in Luxembourg.

Meta is condemned for having “continued to transfer personal data” of users to the United States in violation of European rules in this area, explained in its decision the Irish Commission for Data Protection (DPC), which acts on behalf of the European Union.

The Irish institution clarified that it disapproved of this decision, but that it had been forced into it by the European Data Protection Committee which brings together European regulators including the French Cnil, reports Politico.

The fourth fine in six months

Meta must also “suspend any transfer of personal data to the United States within five months” following notification of this decision and must comply with the GDPR within six months. In a statement sent to AFP, the group described the fine as“unjustified and unnecessary” and informs of its desire to appeal this decision.

Meta hopes to see the United States and the EU adopt a new legal framework for the transfer of personal data during the summer, in the wake of an agreement in principle adopted last year. Meanwhile, this is the third fine imposed on Facebook’s parent company since the start of the year in the EU and the fourth in six months.

In January, the Irish Data Protection Commission had already sanctioned Meta to pay almost 390 million euros for infringements on the use of personal data for advertising purposes targeting its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp applications.