The Norwegian Data Protection Authority announced today, Monday, that it will fine "Meta Platforms," the owner of Facebook, one million Norwegian kroner (approximately $98,500) daily for privacy violations starting August 14. This decision could have broader implications in Europe. Tobias Godin, head of the international department at the Norwegian authority, told Reuters that "Meta" is not allowed to collect user data in Norway, such as their locations, and use it for advertising purposes, known as behavioral advertising, which is a common business model among major tech companies. Meta had until August 4 to prove to the regulatory body that it had addressed the issue.
The authority stated on July 17 that it would fine the company if it did not address the identified privacy violations. The fines will continue until November 3, and the authority can make them permanent by referring its decision to the European Data Protection Board, which has the power to do so, pending its approval. This could expand the regional scope of the decision to include the rest of Europe. The Norwegian authority has not yet taken this step.
Last week, Meta announced its intention to seek users' consent in the European Union before allowing companies to target them with advertisements based on what they view on its services like Facebook and Instagram. Godin stated that this step was not sufficient, adding that "Meta" should immediately stop processing personal data until it obtains user consent, noting that Norway is not a member of the European Union but is part of the European single market.
