Facebook parent company Meta was hit with a record $1.3 billion 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 that Meta had made a “very serious” infringement concerning transfers “that are systematic, repetitive and continuous,” EDPB Chair 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. As Ukraine aid dries up, next package remains on back burner Greece’s conservatives win big in election
The $1.2 billion euro 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.
