The Data Protection Commission (DPC) of Irelandacting on behalf of the European Union, announced a fine of 251 million euros (263 million dollars) Meta for a data protection failure at Facebook that facilitated the hacking of millions of accounts.
Over two weeks in 2018, unauthorized users were able to access nearly 29 million Facebook accounts worldwide, including three million in the EU, the commission said.
Users’ personal data included email addresses, phone numbers, locations and workplaces.
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“Failure to incorporate data protection requirements throughout the design and development cycle can expose people to very serious risks and harms, including a risk to fundamental rights and freedoms,” said Graham Doyle, head of communications. of the organism.
Meta Ireland and its US parent company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, resolved the issue shortly after detecting it and informed the regulatory body, DPC said.
“We took immediate action to address the issue as soon as it was identified, and proactively informed affected individuals as well as the Irish Data Protection Commission,” a Meta spokesperson said.
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The fine adds to another recent fine for large global technology companies, in an attempt by regulatory bodies to respect user privacy, competition laws, fight misinformation and pay taxes.
The EU has been a pioneer in terms of regulation with its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
EAM