According to two individuals familiar with the matter, Ireland’s data protection watchdog is set to impose a significant privacy fine on Meta on Monday. The fine is expected to be a record-breaking amount, reflecting the mishandling of users’ data during its transfer to the United States.
The exact magnitude of the impending record-breaking penalty could not be verified by POLITICO. However, the sources, speaking anonymously todata
discuss internal discussions, suggested that the fine is expected to surpass the €746 million that Amazon had to pay in 2021 for violating the European Union’s privacy regulations.
On Monday, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission will release its decision, which is anticipated to include instructions for Meta’s Facebook to cease utilising standard contract clauses, complex legal mechanisms used to transfer EU data to the United States, starting in the autumn.
The forthcoming decision traces its origins to the revelations made in 2013 by Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency. Snowden disclosed that American authorities had gained access to individuals’ data through technology companies such as Facebook and Google on multiple occasions.
Austrian privacy advocate Max Schrems initiated a legal dispute against Facebook, accusing the company of inadequately safeguarding his privacy rights. This legal challenge sparked a ten-year-long conflict regarding the legality of transferring EU data to the United States.
The highest court in Europe has consistently asserted that Washington lacks adequate safeguards to protect the personal information of Europeans. Recently, the U.S. made updates to its internal legal protections to provide the EU with greater assurances that American intelligence agencies would adhere to new regulations governing data access.
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, declined to comment on the matter. The Irish Data Protection Commission did not respond before the publication deadline.
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