Meta Platforms Threatened To Be Fined IDR 1.5 Billion Per Day By Norwegian Data Authority For Privacy Violations

Illustration of Facebook that carries a penalty of fines in Norway. (photo: dock. pexels)

JAKARTA - The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta Platforms Inc., will be fined one million krones per day for privacy violations, unless they take corrective action. This was conveyed by the Norwegian data protection authorities on Monday, July 17, which could have a wider impact in Europe.

Regulator Datatilsynet mengatakan bahwa denda akan dikenakan setiap hari mulai tanggal 4 Agustus hingga 3 November kecuali Meta mengambil tindakan yang diintahkan.

Datatilsynet states that Meta cannot collect user data in Norway, such as the user's physical location, and uses it to target ads, known as behavioral ads, which are common business models used by large technology companies.

"There is no doubt that this is an illegal act so we have to intervene immediately. We can't wait any longer," Tobias Judin, head of the international section of Datatilsynet told Reuters.

Meta said it would review Datatilsynet's decision and stated that it would not have a direct impact on its services.

Datatilsynet has referred its steps to the European Data Protection Board, which if agreed, could make the fine permanent and expand the scope of this decision in Europe. "This will add additional pressure on Meta," Judin said.

Datatilsynet's decision comes days after a high court of the European Union ruled that Meta cannot collect user data for behavioral ads.

In December, data regulators in Ireland (DPC), where Meta owns a European headquarters, said the company should stop this practice.

"We continue to communicate constructively with the Irish DPC, our main regulator at the EU, regarding our compliance with its decision," Meta said. "Debats on legal grounds have been going on for some time and businesses continue to face regulatory uncertainty in this area."

Norway is not a member of the European Union but is part of today's single European market.