Meta Platforms Inc. Faces Record €1.2b EU Fine for Data Protection Failure
Via European Data Protection Board
Summary
In May 2023, Ireland's Data Protection Commission issued Meta Platforms a record €1.2 billion fine — the largest penalty ever handed down under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation — for systematically transferring the personal data of European Facebook users to servers in the United States in violation of GDPR rules.
The ruling was rooted in the Schrems II decision by the European Court of Justice and required Meta to cease the unlawful transfers within six months. The case highlighted the enduring tension between US intelligence practices and European data protection standards, and signaled that regulators were prepared to impose substantial financial penalties on even the largest technology companies.
