Facebook hit with record $1.3B fine in European privacy case

Facebook parent company Meta was hit with a record $1.3 billion (1.2 billion euros) fine on Monday by the European Union, which demanded the social media giant stop transferring user data to the United States. 

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) found Meta made a “very serious” infringement concerning transfers “that are systematic, repetitive and continuous,” EDPB Chairwoman Andrea Jelinek said in a statement announcing the fine. 

“Facebook has millions of users in Europe, so the volume of personal data transferred is massive. The unprecedented fine is a strong signal to organisations that serious infringements have far-reaching consequences,” Jelinek said. 

The fine, issued by the Irish Data Protection Authority to Meta Platform Ireland Unlimited after an inquiry into Facebook, is the largest General Data Protection Regulation fine ever, according to the EDPB. 

“This decision is flawed, unjustified and sets a dangerous precedent for the countless other companies transferring data between the EU and U.S.,” Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global and affairs, and Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead said in a statement.

Meta said there is no immediate disruption to its services in Europe and said it plans to appeal the ruling and fine.