Facebook Ireland fined $1.3 billion, says it will appeal ruling

Robert Besser
25 May 2023, 20:56 GMT+10

Ireland's Data Protection Commission has fined Facebook $1.3 billion for transferring user data from Europe to the United States.
The Data Protection Commission previously fined Facebook Ireland some $400 million in January, $275 million in November 2022 and $19 million in March 2022.
Facebook said the proper operations of their European operations requires data to be transferred to the US.

DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland's Data Protection Commission has fined Facebook $1.3 billion for transferring user data from Europe to the United States.

Facebook, however, has said it would appeal the decision.

Under the Data Protection Commission ruling, Facebook has been ordered to "suspend any future transfer of personal data to the US."

The Data Protection Commission acted based upon regulations enacted by the General Data Protection Regulation, which prevents the transfer of personal user data from the EU to a third party or international organization.

Also, in 2020 the European Court of Justice ruled against a privacy shield agreement between the EU and the US. The Data Protection Commission now said Facebook acted in violation of the court ruling.

Meanwhile, Facebook said the proper operations of their European operations requires data to be transferred to the US.

"Without the ability to transfer data across borders, the internet risks being carved up into national and regional silos, restricting the global economy and leaving citizens in different countries unable to access many of the shared services we have come to rely on," Facebook said, as quoted by jurist.org

The Data Protection Commission began its investigation of Facebook in 2020.

Also, the Data Protection Commission previously fined Facebook Ireland some $400 million in January, $275 million in November 2022 and $19 million in March 2022.

Facebook has said there would be no disruptions to its operations in Ireland as it appeals the ruling.