Call the bluff: Meta cannot and will not unfriend Europe
2 years, 10 months ago

Call the bluff: Meta cannot and will not unfriend Europe

Hindustan Times  

Meta, formerly Facebook, has said that it may have to consider shutting down popular social networks Facebook and Instagram in European countries. Facebook's parent firm Meta said February 7, 2022 it has no plans to pull its services from Europe, after raising the possibility amid an ongoing row over transferring European data to the United States. “If a new transatlantic data transfer framework is not adopted and we are unable to continue to rely on SCCs or rely upon other alternative means of data transfers from Europe to the United States, we will likely be unable to offer a number of our most significant products and services, including Facebook and Instagram, in Europe,” said Meta in the annual report for 2021 filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The question of data transfer across continents Simply put, Meta’s issue is with the regulatory restrictions that don’t allow it to transfer data of EU citizens and Meta service users to servers located in the US. Meta’s point of contention is that it needs to also transfer its data to US based servers for its business operations and services such as online advertising.

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History of this topic

Ireland slaps Meta with $263 million fine for data breach that hacked 29M Facebook accounts
Trending News
6 days, 22 hours ago

Ireland slaps Meta with $263 million fine for data breach that hacked 29M Facebook accounts

Firstpost  

In 2018, Meta reported a security breach that compromised over 29 million Facebook accounts all over the world. Of the 29 million accounts, three million belonged to users based in Europe Ireland’s Data Protection Commission on Tuesday fined Meta $263 million over data protection failure that led to the hacking of over 29 million Facebook accounts globally. Meta fined in …

EU fines Meta $840 million for 'abusive' Facebook ad practices
Top News
1 month, 1 week ago

EU fines Meta $840 million for 'abusive' Facebook ad practices

Raw Story  

The EU fined online giant Meta almost 800 million euros on Thursday for breaching antitrust rules by giving users of its Facebook social network automatic access to classified ads service Facebook Marketplace. - 'Abusive practices' - Detailing what it termed "abusive practices" by Meta, the commission said that because Facebook Marketplace was tied to Facebook, the former enjoyed a "substantial …

Europe fines Meta $840 million over practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace
1 month, 1 week ago

Europe fines Meta $840 million over practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace

CNN  

The European Union has fined Meta Platforms €798 million over what it called abusive practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace. “The European Commission has fined Meta … for breaching EU antitrust rules by tying its online classified ads service Facebook Marketplace to its personal social network Facebook and by imposing unfair trading conditions on other online classified ads service providers,” the EU’s …

Facebook admits to scraping every Australian adult user's public photos and posts to train AI, with no opt-out option
3 months, 1 week ago

Facebook admits to scraping every Australian adult user's public photos and posts to train AI, with no opt-out option

ABC  

Facebook has admitted that it scrapes the public photos, posts and other data of Australian adult users to train its AI models and provides no opt-out option, even though it allows people in the European Union to refuse consent. Meta's global privacy director Melinda Claybaugh was pressed at an inquiry as to whether the social media giant was hoovering up …

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option
5 months, 3 weeks ago

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option

The Hindu  

European Union regulators accused social media company Meta Platforms on Monday of breaching the bloc's new digital competition rulebook by forcing Facebook and Instagram users to choose between seeing ads or paying to avoid them. The U.S. tech giant rolled out the option after the European Union’s top court ruled Meta must first get consent before showing ads to users, …

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option
5 months, 3 weeks ago

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option

Associated Press  

LONDON — European Union regulators accused social media company Meta Platforms on Monday of breaching the bloc’s new digital competition rulebook by forcing Facebook and Instagram users to choose between seeing ads or paying to avoid them. The U.S. tech giant rolled out the option after the European Union’s top court ruled Meta must first get consent before showing ads …

EU may charge Instagram and Facebook-parent Meta over digital rules violation: Report
5 months, 3 weeks ago

EU may charge Instagram and Facebook-parent Meta over digital rules violation: Report

The Hindu  

EU authorities may charge Meta over its model that makes Facebook and Instagram users pay in order to stop their data from being shared, reported Financial Times, citing several anonymous sources. However, EU regulators have previously warned that as per the Digital Markets Act, “gatekeeper platforms” would not be able to “track end users outside of the gatekeepers’ core platform …

Meta accused of breaking European law with its ‘pay or consent’ model
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Meta accused of breaking European law with its ‘pay or consent’ model

CNN  

London CNN — Facebook parent Meta has been accused of breaking Europe’s new digital competition rules over its “pay or consent” advertising model. The European Commission said in a statement Monday that, in its preliminary view, “this binary choice forces users to consent to the of their personal data and fails to provide them a less personalized but equivalent version …

Meta halts European AI model launch following Irish government's request
6 months, 1 week ago

Meta halts European AI model launch following Irish government's request

India TV News  

Meta, a popular social media company headed by Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly said that it will not launch its Meta AI models in the European market now. At issue is Meta's plan to use personal data to train its artificial intelligence models without seeking consent, the company said THAT it would use publicly available and licensed online information. Meta further …

Facebook owner Meta seeks to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns
6 months, 1 week ago

Facebook owner Meta seeks to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns

The Hindu  

Meta wants to use data from users in privacy-conscious Europe to train its artificial intelligence models, the social media giant said Monday as it faces concerns about data protection while battling to keep up with rivals like OpenAI and Google. Meta's AI training efforts are hampered by stringent European Union data privacy laws, which give people control over how their …

Facebook owner Meta seeks to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns
6 months, 1 week ago

Facebook owner Meta seeks to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns

Associated Press  

LONDON — Meta wants to use data from users in privacy-conscious Europe to train its artificial intelligence models, the social media giant said Monday as it faces concerns about data protection while battling to keep up with rivals like OpenAI and Google. Meta’s AI training efforts are hampered by stringent European Union data privacy laws, which give people control over …

EU investigates Meta over Facebook and Instagram child safety
7 months, 1 week ago

EU investigates Meta over Facebook and Instagram child safety

Al Jazeera  

The European Commission says it is concerned systems used by apps could ‘exploit weaknesses and inexperience’ of children and stimulate ‘addictive behaviour’. European Union regulators have opened a formal investigation into Meta for potential breaches of online content rules relating to child safety in its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, said on X the …

EU opens probe into Facebook and Instagram amid claims they are not doing enough to tackle Russian disinformation ahead of crunch elections
7 months, 3 weeks ago

EU opens probe into Facebook and Instagram amid claims they are not doing enough to tackle Russian disinformation ahead of crunch elections

Daily Mail  

The European Union has launched an investigation into Facebook and Instagram amid claims they are not doing enough to tackle Russian disinformation which could potentially undermine democracy. 'If we suspect a violation of the rules, we act,' Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels is especially concerned that Meta, the company which runs the social media platforms, does not …

Meta targeted in privacy complaints by 8 EU consumer groups
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Meta targeted in privacy complaints by 8 EU consumer groups

The Hindu  

Meta Platforms was hit with privacy complaints on Thursday as eight EU consumer groups asked watchdogs to act against the Facebook owner for allegedly breaching the bloc's privacy rules when it hoovers up user data. The complaints by the consumer groups in the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain to data protection authorities in their countries …

Instagram, Facebook users to get more choices to comply with DMA, says Meta
11 months ago

Instagram, Facebook users to get more choices to comply with DMA, says Meta

The Hindu  

Instagram and Facebook users in Europe will be offered more choices on how they consume Meta Platforms' services to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act, the social media company said on Monday. Facebook Messenger users will be able to choose if they want their Facebook account linked to their Messenger account, or have separate accounts for both services, …

Meta enables EU users to disconnect Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger Accounts
11 months ago

Meta enables EU users to disconnect Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger Accounts

India TV News  

Meta has announced that EU users will be able to unlink their Instagram and Facebook accounts as well as other social media services, to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Union. Tim Lamb, Director, Competition and Regulatory, Meta said, “They can also manage their Instagram and Facebook accounts separately so that their information is no longer used …

Meta to launch X competitor Threads in Netherlands, rest of EU this month
1 year ago

Meta to launch X competitor Threads in Netherlands, rest of EU this month

NL Times  

Facebook parent Meta plans to launch Threads in the European Union, including the Netherlands, this month, sources told The Wall Street Journal. According to The Wall Street Journal’s sources, the planned launch in the EU shows that Meta is committed to the micro-blogging platform. To comply with the EU’s regulations, EU users will be allowed to choose between using Threads …

Meta’s Facebook, Insta banned from running targeted ads in EU, may be fined 4% global turnover
1 year, 1 month ago

Meta’s Facebook, Insta banned from running targeted ads in EU, may be fined 4% global turnover

Firstpost  

The EU has banned Meta from running targeted ads on its platforms Facebook and Instagram, and can potentially fine the social media giant about 4% of its annual turnover, which runs to the tunes of billions The European Data Protection Board has decided to extend the ban on “behavioural advertising” that was initially imposed by Norway, a non-EU member, to …

European privacy officials widen ban on Meta’s behavioral advertising to most of Europe
1 year, 1 month ago

European privacy officials widen ban on Meta’s behavioral advertising to most of Europe

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — European officials widened a ban on Meta’s “behavioral advertising” practices to most of Europe on Wednesday, setting up a broader conflict between the continent’s privacy-conscious institutions and an American technology giant. Behavioral advertising, used by Meta’s Facebook and Instagram among many other tech companies, involves observing individual behavior such as browsing habits, mouse clicks and app usage, …

Meta faces Europe-wide data privacy restrictions for targetted ads
1 year, 1 month ago

Meta faces Europe-wide data privacy restrictions for targetted ads

Live Mint  

Meta Platforms Inc. is poised to encounter Europe-wide restrictions on utilizing the personal data of Facebook and Instagram users for targeted advertising, Bloomberg reported. Ireland's Data Protection Commission, acting as the chief privacy overseer for Meta in the region, has a two-week window to impose a ban on processing personal data for behavioral advertising based on contractual and legitimate interest …

Meta rolls out paid ad-free option for European Facebook and Insta users after privacy ruling
1 year, 1 month ago

Meta rolls out paid ad-free option for European Facebook and Insta users after privacy ruling

Associated Press  

LONDON — Facebook and Instagram users in Europe are getting the option to pay for ad-free versions of the social media platforms as a way to comply with the continent’s strict data privacy rules, parent company Meta said Monday. The U.S. tech giant is rolling out the subscription option after the European Union’s top court ruled that under strict EU …

Meta Floats Charging $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram or Facebook
1 year, 2 months ago

Meta Floats Charging $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram or Facebook

Live Mint  

Would people pay nearly $14 a month to use Instagram on their phones without ads? Meta’s proposals have been pitched specifically as a way to navigate demands by EU regulators to seek consent before crunching user data to select highly personalized ads. Driving Meta’s proposal has been demands by privacy regulators, led by Ireland, that Meta seek user consent before …

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe could get ad-free subscription option, WSJ reports
1 year, 2 months ago

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe could get ad-free subscription option, WSJ reports

Associated Press  

LONDON — Meta plans to give Facebook and Instagram users in Europe the option of paying for ad-free versions of the social media platforms as a way to comply with the continent’s strict data privacy rules, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The company wants to charge users about 10 euros a month to use Instagram or Facebook without ads …

Changing Tactics: Meta may remove ads from Insta, FB because of EU’s DSA and ad transparency laws
1 year, 3 months ago

Changing Tactics: Meta may remove ads from Insta, FB because of EU’s DSA and ad transparency laws

Firstpost  

Meta may be thinking of giving users an option to completely remove ads from their feeds on Instagram and Facebook. This is because EU’s DSA and strict ad transparency laws are set to cause trouble for tech companies who do not handle user data properly, and target them with ads Meta, the tech giant encompassing various platforms, has often displayed …

Meta may allow Facebook, Instagram users in EU to pay to avoid ads: Report
1 year, 3 months ago

Meta may allow Facebook, Instagram users in EU to pay to avoid ads: Report

The Hindu  

Meta Platforms is considering paid versions of Facebook and Instagram with no Those who pay for the subscriptions would not see ads while Meta would also continue to offer free versions of the apps with ads in the EU, the report said, citing three people with knowledge of the plans. The report added that the possible move may help Meta …

Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on
1 year, 3 months ago

Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on

Associated Press  

LONDON — Starting Friday, Europeans will see their online life change. Turning off recommender systems also means the video-sharing platform’s “Following” and “Friends” feeds will show posts from accounts users follow in chronological order. Those on Snapchat “can opt out of a personalised content experience.” Algorithmic recommendation systems based on user profiles have been blamed for creating so-called filter bubbles …

Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on
1 year, 3 months ago

Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Those on Snapchat “can opt …

Meta to ask EU users' consent to share data for targeted ads
1 year, 4 months ago

Meta to ask EU users' consent to share data for targeted ads

The Hindu  

Social media giant Meta on Tuesday said it intends to ask EU-based users to give their consent before allowing targeted advertising on its networks including Facebook, bowing to pressure from European regulators. It said the changes were to address "evolving and emerging regulatory requirements" amid a bruising tussle with the Irish Data Protection Commission which oversees EU data rules in …

EU court deals blow to Meta in German data case
1 year, 5 months ago

EU court deals blow to Meta in German data case

The Hindu  

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp may need to overhaul how they collect the data of users in Europe after the top EU court ruled against parent company Meta on Tuesday. The European Court of Justice ruled in favour of Germany's anti-cartel watchdog, which had argued that it could take data privacy issues into account when considering antitrust cases. The German watchdog …

Facebook faces legal setback in EU court decision on data privacy and ads
1 year, 5 months ago

Facebook faces legal setback in EU court decision on data privacy and ads

Associated Press  

LONDON — Facebook lost a legal challenge Tuesday at the European Union’s top court over a groundbreaking German antitrust decision that limited the way the company uses data for advertising. The European Court of Justice said competition watchdogs can consider whether companies like Facebook comply with the continent’s strict privacy rules, which are normally enforced by national data privacy regulators. …

Meta fined record $1.3 billion and ordered to stop sending European user data to US
1 year, 7 months ago

Meta fined record $1.3 billion and ordered to stop sending European user data to US

Associated Press  

LONDON — The European Union slapped Meta with a record $1.3 billion privacy fine Monday and ordered it to stop transferring users’ personal information across the Atlantic by October, the latest salvo in a decadelong case sparked by U.S. cybersnooping fears. The penalty of 1.2 billion euros is the biggest since the EU’s strict data privacy regime took effect five …

Meta fined record €1.2 billion in EU over US data transfers
1 year, 7 months ago

Meta fined record €1.2 billion in EU over US data transfers

Hindustan Times  

Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc. was hit by a record €1.2 billion European Union privacy fine and given a deadline to stop shipping users’ data to the US after regulators said it failed to protect personal information from the prying eyes of American security services. Meta was given five months to “suspend any future transfer of personal data to the …

Q&A: Is Meta data-transfer fine enough to allay privacy concerns?
1 year, 7 months ago

Q&A: Is Meta data-transfer fine enough to allay privacy concerns?

Al Jazeera  

Estelle Masse, senior policy analyst at global digital rights group Access Now, speaks to Al Jazeera about the record penalty imposed on the tech giant. They gave it five months to stop sending European user data to the US and six months to bring its data operations into compliance “by ceasing the unlawful processing, including storage, in the US” of …

Meta fined $1.3bn over transfer of EU user data to the US
1 year, 7 months ago

Meta fined $1.3bn over transfer of EU user data to the US

Al Jazeera  

Facebook, Instagram owner says ruling is ‘flawed, unjustified and sets a dangerous precedent for countless other companies’. The Irish Data Protection Commission, which acts on behalf of the European Union, said on Monday that the European Data Protection Board ordered it to collect “an administrative fine”. “The ability for data to be transferred across borders is fundamental to how the …

Facebook parent Meta hit with record $1.3-billion fine by EU over data privacy
1 year, 7 months ago

Facebook parent Meta hit with record $1.3-billion fine by EU over data privacy

LA Times  

The European Union has imposed a record $1.3-billion privacy fine on Meta over the transfer of user data across the Atlantic. The European Union slapped Meta with a record $1.3-billion privacy fine Monday and ordered it to stop transferring users’ personal information across the Atlantic by October, the latest salvo in a decade-long case sparked by U.S. cyber-snooping fears. Ireland’s …

Meta to Face Record EU Privacy Fine Over Facebook Data Transfer to US
1 year, 7 months ago

Meta to Face Record EU Privacy Fine Over Facebook Data Transfer to US

News 18  

Meta Platforms Inc is set to face a record European Union privacy fine related to data transfer of Facebook’s EU users to U.S. servers for failing to comply with a warning by a top EU court, two sources familiar with the matter said. EU regulators led by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon have been finalising a ban on the …

Google, Twitter, Meta face tougher EU online content rules
1 year, 10 months ago

Google, Twitter, Meta face tougher EU online content rules

The Hindu  

Alphabet Inc.'s Google, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc., and Twitter face stricter EU online content rules according to monthly user numbers published by the companies on Thursday, which exceeded the EU threshold. The new rules known as the Digital Services Act labels companies with more than 45 million users as very large online platforms and subject to obligations such as …

EU fines Meta $414 million for privacy violations, prohibits firm from forcing users to agree to personalised ads
1 year, 11 months ago

EU fines Meta $414 million for privacy violations, prohibits firm from forcing users to agree to personalised ads

Firstpost  

London: European Union regulators on Wednesday hit Facebook parent Meta with hundreds of millions in fines for privacy violations and banned the company from forcing users in the 27-nation bloc to agree to personalized ads based on their online activity. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission imposed two fines totaling 390 million euros in its decision in two cases that could shake …

Irish regulator moves closer to ban on Facebook EU-U.S. data flows
2 years, 5 months ago

Irish regulator moves closer to ban on Facebook EU-U.S. data flows

The Hindu  

Ireland's data privacy regulator moved a step closer to a ruling that could halt EU-U.S. data transfers by Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram when it shared an updated draft order with other EU regulators on Thursday, a spokesperson said. The Data Protection Commission issued a provisional order in 2020 to block the mechanism Meta uses to transfer data on EU users …

Irish regulator could halt Facebook, Instagram EU-US data flows in May
2 years, 10 months ago

Irish regulator could halt Facebook, Instagram EU-US data flows in May

The Hindu  

EU-U.S. data transfers by Meta owned Facebook and Instagram could be halted as soon as May but the move would not immediately hit other big tech companies, Ireland's data privacy regulator said in an interview. Europe's highest court ruled in 2020 that an EU-U.S. data transfer pact was invalid due to concerns that U.S. government surveillance may not respect the …

Facebook, Instagram may exit EU due to data regulations
2 years, 10 months ago

Facebook, Instagram may exit EU due to data regulations

The Hindu  

Meta Platforms Inc. may pull out Facebook and Instagram from EU region as the duo struggle with data privacy regulations in Europe. "If a new transatlantic data transfer framework is not adopted and we are unable to continue to rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or rely upon other alternative means of data transfers from Europe to the United States, we …

WhatsApp User Data Collection Banned by Germany, Facebook Says Wrong Ruling
3 years, 7 months ago

WhatsApp User Data Collection Banned by Germany, Facebook Says Wrong Ruling

News 18  

Germany’s lead data protection regulator for Facebook is banning the social network from processing personal data from WhatsApp users because it views the messaging app’s new terms of use as illegal, it said on Tuesday. Caspar, who leads domestic oversight of Facebook under Germany’s federal system as its country office is in Hamburg, announced his decision before a May 15 …

German regulator bans Facebook from processing WhatsApp user data
3 years, 7 months ago

German regulator bans Facebook from processing WhatsApp user data

The Hindu  

Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook is banning the social network from processing personal data from WhatsApp users because it views the messaging app's new terms of use as illegal, it said on Tuesday. "This order seeks to secure the rights and freedoms of the many millions of users who give their consent to the terms of use throughout …

Facebook faces new UK class action
3 years, 10 months ago

Facebook faces new UK class action

The Hindu  

Facebook is facing a second London High Court class action over allegations it failed to protect the personal details of about one million people in England and Wales, in the latest lawsuit to spring from a scandal over data harvesting. Journalist and writer Peter Jukes said on Tuesday he had filed a lawsuit for unspecified but "substantial" damages three years …

To avoid EU privacy rules, Facebook to move UK users to California terms
4 years ago

To avoid EU privacy rules, Facebook to move UK users to California terms

The Hindu  

Facebook Inc will shift all its users in the United Kingdom into user agreements with the corporate headquarters in California, moving them out of their current relationship with Facebook's Irish unit and out of reach of Europe's privacy laws. Facebook's UK users will remain subject to UK privacy law, which for now tracks the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation. …

Facebook launches dating service in Europe
4 years, 2 months ago

Facebook launches dating service in Europe

Live Mint  

Facebook Inc said on Wednesday it is launching its dating service in 32 European countries after the rollout was delayed earlier this year due to regulatory concerns. The social media company had postponed the rollout of Facebook Dating in Europe in February after concerns were raised by Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner, the main regulator in the European Union for a …

Facebook may have to stop moving EU user data to US
4 years, 3 months ago

Facebook may have to stop moving EU user data to US

Associated Press  

LONDON — Facebook may be forced to stop sending data about its European users to the U.S., in the first major fallout from a recent court ruling that found some trans-Atlantic data transfers don’t protect users from American government snooping. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said Ireland’s data commission gave Facebook until mid-September to …

Facebook's EU-US data transfer mechanism 'cannot be used', Irish regulator says
4 years, 3 months ago

Facebook's EU-US data transfer mechanism 'cannot be used', Irish regulator says

The Hindu  

The key mechanism used by Facebook to transfer data from the European Union to the United States ”cannot in practice be used” for such transfers, according to Ireland's Data Protection Commission, Facebook said on Wednesday. The U.S. social media giant said in a blog post that it believed the mechanism, Standard Contractual Clauses, had been deemed valid by the Court …

EU court cancels US data-sharing pact over snooping concerns
4 years, 5 months ago

EU court cancels US data-sharing pact over snooping concerns

Associated Press  

The European Union’s top court ruled Thursday that an agreement that allows thousands of companies — from tech giants to small financial firms — to transfer data to the United States is invalid because the American government can snoop on people’s data. The ruling to invalidate Privacy Shield will likely complicate business for around 5,000 companies, and it could require …

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