back to article Ireland: Meta fined $18.6m for breaking EU's GDPR

Following a breach of data privacy European law, Facebook parent company Meta has received an $18.6m (€17m) fine — representing around 0.055 percent of its quarterly revenue. Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) imposed the fine on Meta Platforms Ireland, formerly Facebook Ireland, following its inquiry into 12 data …

  1. Mike 137 Silver badge

    "Meta has received an $18.6m (€17m) fine"

    Once again, coffee money. Penalties of this nature and order are just a cost of 'doing business'. Real enforcement would require monitored and audited change of behaviour with criminal sanctions for failure to comply. The biggest problem with data protection law is that it's penalties are administrative only and therefore have no real teeth, as has been seen in the many cases where the offending organisation has negotiated its penalty downward, or even failed to pay up without further penalty.

    1. A. Coatsworth Silver badge
      Pirate

      Re: "Meta has received an $18.6m (€17m) fine"

      In that regard, Russia had the right idea last year although perhaps not for the right reasons: unless the bigwigs - or in cases like this, at least the country PHBs - are made criminally accountable for these situations, nothing will ever change.

    2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: "Meta has received an $18.6m (€17m) fine"

      The problem with data protection law is that it's enforced by the same government that is offering the company financial incentives to locate there.

      Imagine if employment law was enforced by the chamber of commerce.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Windows

      Re: "Meta has received an $18.6m (€17m) fine"

      In ye olden times, we called it a swear jar.

  2. Lars
    Coat

    Indeed

    The $ has indeed dropped behind the Euro now.

    1. codejunky Silver badge

      Re: Indeed

      @Lars

      "The $ has indeed dropped behind the Euro now."

      Has it? In what way?

  3. alain williams Silver badge

    'the fine was "entirely disproportionate."'

    Correct, the fine should have been 10 x as much: €2,250 million

  4. MrDamage

    What a huge fine.

    It must have felt like being slapped in the face with a wet lettuce leaf.

  5. Slx

    Fines need to be calculated as a % of income.

    These regulatory agencies and others often bankrupt small businesses with mediocre fines but to a company like Meta, this is pocket change.

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