Meta Faces Substantial Fine for Privacy Breach

The lead European Union data privacy regulator for Meta, Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), has imposed a fine of €251 million ($263.5 million) on the social media giant for a significant data breach that occurred in 2018. This breach exposed the personal data of 29 million Facebook users, including sensitive information such as full names, contact details, and even children's personal data.

Details of the Breach

The breach was a result of a vulnerability in Facebook's 'View As' feature, which allows users to see their profile as it appears to others. Meta promptly notified the DPC upon discovering the breach and took immediate steps to rectify the issue. However, the unauthorized exposure of such sensitive data posed a grave risk of misuse, leading to the substantial fine.

Meta's Response and Regulatory Implications

Meta has expressed its intention to appeal the decision, emphasizing the measures it has in place to protect user data across its platforms. The DPC, as the leading EU regulator for many major U.S. internet firms, has so far fined Meta almost €3 billion under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This includes a record €1.2 billion fine in 2023, which Meta is also appealing.