Facebook loses Belgian privacy case, faces fine of up to $125m

[ad_1]

Belgian court on Friday threatened Facebook with a fine of up to 100 million euros (125 million dollars ) if it continued to break privacy laws by tracking people on third-party websites.

In a case brought by Belgium’s privacy watchdog, the court also ruled that Facebook had to delete all data it had gathered illegally on Belgian citizens, including people who were not Facebook users themselves.

Facebook, which would be fined 250,000 euros a day or up to 100 million euros if it did not comply with the court’s judgment, said in a statement that it would appeal the ruling.

“Facebook informs us insufficiently about gathering information about us, the kind of data it collects, what it does with that data and how long it stores it,” the court said.

“It also does not gain our consent to collect and store all this information,” it added in a statement.

The social media group uses different methods to track the online behavior of people if they are not on the company’s web site by placing cookies and invisible pixels on third-party web sites, the court said.

Facebook said the technologies it uses were in line with industry standards and it gives users the right to opt out of data collection on websites and applications off its platform being used for advertisements.

“We’ll comply with this new law, just as we’ve complied with existing data protection law in Europe,” said Richard Allan, Facebook’s vice president of public policy for Europe, Middle East Africa.

Belgium’s privacy watchdog welcomed the ruling. “Facebook has just launched a large campaign where they stress the importance of privacy. We hope they will now make this a reality,” it said.

Reuters/NAN



[ad_2]

Source link

More News

President Buhari to Embark on Eight-Day Visit to Saudi Arabia, Perform Umrah

On Tuesday morning, President Muhammadu Buhari will begin an eight-day state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to perform...

Senator-Elect Yar’Adua Commits to Delivering Change for Katsina Central District

Senator-elect Abdul’aziz Yar’Adua of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Katsina Central Senatorial District has vowed to deliver on his campaign promises to the...

Police Arrest Suspect in Brutal Killing of Pregnant Girlfriend in Kano

The Kano State Police Command has arrested Philibus Ibrahim, who allegedly strangled his pregnant girlfriend, 22-year-old Theresa Yakubu, in Tudun Wada Local Government Area...

2023 Polls: Group warns Governor Matawalle over inciting comments, blaming Nigerian military

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER), a Civil Society Organisation, has accused Governor Bello Matawalle of displaying undemocratic tendencies following his...