Meta Fined Heavily by Norway for Data Misuse

The data protection agency of Norway announced on Tuesday that it will impose daily fines of approximately $100,000 on Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for disregarding a prohibition on utilizing individuals’ personal data for advertising purposes.

Norway’s watchdog Datatilsynet said Metal will be fined 1 million kroner ($97,000) a day from August 14.

Tobias Judin, head of Datatilsynet’s international department, said the fine was related to a July 14 decision in which the agency had temporarily “banned behavioral advertising on Facebook and Instagram.”

“Meta’s behavioral advertising involves intrusive surveillance of users, which negatively affects their right to privacy and freedom of information,” Judin told AFP in an email, adding that the platforms had many vulnerable groups such as “the young, the elderly.” and people with cognitive disabilities.”

“We are also concerned that sensitive personal data can be used for advertising purposes. We have therefore found that Meta’s practices are in violation of the Data Protection Act,” Judin continued.

Datatilsynet announced the ban on July 17 and initially said that Metal had until August 4 to take corrective action.

“The compulsory fine is imposed because Meta has not yet complied with the ban,” Judin said.

The social media giant said last week that it plans to ask users in the European Union, EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland to provide consent before allowing targeted advertising on its networks.

European regulators had in January rejected the previous legal basis – “legitimate interest” – that Meta had used to justify collecting users’ personal data for targeted advertising.

Judin said this was “a positive change – but personal data is still being processed illegally in the meantime”.

A Meta spokesman told AFP the company appealed the Norwegian watchdog’s decision, saying they believed they had already committed to the consent sought by the authority.