Ireland’s privacy watchdog, the Data Protection Commission (DPC), has imposed Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Meta) with a record fineof €1.2 billion. Meta is receiving this fine because personal data of European Facebook users is processed on servers in the United States. This leads to privacy risks: user data could, for example, end up in the hands of American intelligence services. Because Facebook has millions of users in the European Union, enormous amounts of personal data are involved. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets strict requirements for the transfer of personal data outside Europe. The DPC ruled that these requirements were not properly followed by Meta. This record fine for violating the GDPR sends a strong message.
TikTok also processes personal data of European TikTok users outside of Europe and, in doing so, does not appear to comply with the applicable requirements. The Take Back Your Privacy Foundation has therefore also explained in its summons in the case against TikTok that TikTok is acting unlawfully by doing so.
You can still join the action we are taking against TikTok with the support of the Consumers’ Association. Click here for more information and to sign up.