We do not play with the protection of personal data in Norway, even if we are called Meta. A Norwegian regulator on Tuesday imposed a fine on the American technology giant for serving targeted ads by exploiting user data from its Facebook and Instagram platforms. From August 14, Meta will have to pay the equivalent of one million Norwegian kroner per day (88,500 euros), the Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet) said.
The fine comes after a “provisional ban on behavioral marketing on Facebook and Instagram” for three months, decided by the authority on July 14, said Tobias Judin, head of the international department of Datatilsynet, to AFP.
“Intrusive Monitoring”
“Meta’s behavioral advertising involves intrusive surveillance of its users, which negatively impacts their right to data protection and freedom of information,” he added, pointing out the presence of vulnerable groups. online such as “young people, the elderly and people with cognitive impairments”.
“We are also concerned that sensitive personal data may be used for marketing purposes. We have therefore found that Meta’s practices are contrary to data protection law,” continued Tobias Judin.
Europe, a key market
Meta had until August 4 to prove that it had implemented measures to comply with this ban. “The fine is imposed because Meta has not yet complied with our ban”, according to Tobias Judin.
Last week, the company announced that it would seek the consent of its users based in the European Union before authorizing the sharing of their data for the purpose of targeted advertising on its social networks.
Europe represents a key market for Meta. Facebook had around 300 million active daily users in Europe at the end of 2022, out of a total of 2 billion worldwide, with Europeans generating around a fifth of Meta’s advertising revenue.