Oslo, Norway – Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is set to face a daily fine of nearly $100,000 from Norway’s data protection agency, Datatilsynet, for defying a ban on using user data for targeted advertising. The fine, equivalent to approximately one million kroner, will be effective from August 14.
The decision comes after Datatilsynet imposed a ban on behavioral advertising on Instagram and Facebook on July 14. The agency expressed concerns over Meta’s practice of intrusive surveillance through behavioral advertising, impacting users’ data protection and freedom of information.
Tobias Judin, the head of Datatilsynet’s international department, highlighted the potential adverse effects on vulnerable groups, including young individuals, the elderly, and those with cognitive disabilities.
Meta’s failure to comply with the ban, despite a previously set August 4 deadline for corrective action, prompted the enforcement of this coercive fine.
Meta had recently announced its plan to seek user consent before implementing targeted advertising in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. This move follows the dismissal of Meta’s previous legal justification, “legitimate interest,” for collecting user data for targeted ads.
The fine signals the growing emphasis on data privacy and protection as regulatory bodies globally tighten their scrutiny over tech giants’ data practices.
