Janice R. Andrews
The European Union’s highest judicial body has delivered another blow to Meta, ruling that social media platforms cannot indefinitely store users’ personal information for ad targeting. This decision reinforces the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which champions privacy rights, including the ability to be “forgotten” online.
At issue is Meta’s practice of utilizing personal data for advertising without clear time constraints. The court emphasized that strict limits must be placed on the duration for which user information can be kept and used for such purposes. Non-compliance with these regulations could lead to severe financial penalties, potentially reaching 4% of a company’s global yearly revenue.
This ruling follows a €390 million fine imposed on Meta last year for violating GDPR by coercing users of its platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) to accept personalized advertising. The latest decision intensifies the scrutiny on major technology firms and their data handling practices under EU regulations.
Meta, alongside other tech giants such as Google and Apple, has been embroiled in ongoing legal disputes with the EU concerning data protection and the Digital Markets Act, which further restricts companies’ use of consumer data. Meta now faces the possibility of additional sanctions as the EU pushes for increased user control and transparency in data collection practices.
This court ruling represents a significant victory for consumer privacy advocates and marks another chapter in the ongoing tension between technology companies and regulatory authorities over data usage practices.
