A Norwegian court ruled that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, can be fined for abusing users' privacy. On 14 August 2023, Norway's data protection authority (Datatilsynet) imposed a daily fine of 1 million krones ($98,500) against Meta for gathering user data and utilizing them for targeted advertising. Meta had sought to halt the fine imposed by Datatilsynet, but the court ruled against them.

According to the court's verdict, Meta argued that Datatilsynet's decision was disproportionate and impossible to meet and accused it of violating other laws, too. Additionally, Meta argued that it was already committed to seeking user consent and criticized Datatilsynet for an unnecessary and expedited process. However, Datatilsynet claimed that it was unclear when and how Meta would seek user consent and highlighted that, in the meantime, users' rights were being violated.

Why does it matter?

This ruling by a Norwegian court against Meta Platform highlights the growing concerns over data harvesting and targeted advertising practices commonly used by Big Tech companies. Furthermore, Datatilysnet is considering referring the case to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). In case the EDPB agrees with Datatilysnet, it could have a broader impact on privacy regulations throughout Europe, potentially setting a precedent for stronger enforcement of data protection laws across the continent.