On Monday, Meta Platforms (META) (formerly known as Facebook) was hit with fines amounting to 251 million euros ($264 million) by the European Union’s privacy watchdogs following an investigation into a significant data breach from 2018. The breach, which compromised millions of user accounts, was scrutinized by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, the lead privacy regulator for Meta due to its regional headquarters being in Dublin.
The incident involved hackers exploiting bugs within the “View As” feature of the platform, a tool designed to show users how their profiles look to others. This vulnerability allowed the attackers to capture digital keys, or “access tokens,” which in turn granted them control over user accounts. The attack spread from one user to another through their networks on the platform, illustrating a significant security flaw in how user data was protected.
Initial reports by Meta suggested that 50 million accounts were affected, but further investigation by the Irish watchdog corrected this number to 29 million, with approximately 3 million accounts in Europe. Following the discovery of the breach, Meta took decisive action by fixing the identified issues, informing affected users, and notifying both the FBI and regulatory bodies in the U.S. and Europe.
The penalties from the Irish Data Protection Commission were issued under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), known for its stringent privacy rules. The fines, labeled as “administrative penalties,” were accompanied by reprimands for multiple breaches of GDPR. Despite these actions, Meta has announced its intention to appeal the decision, arguing that the issue was addressed promptly once identified.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges tech companies face in securing user data against sophisticated threats while operating under the EU’s rigorous privacy laws. It also underscores the role of national watchdogs like Ireland’s in enforcing GDPR across multinational corporations. The fines serve not only as a financial penalty but also as a reminder of the significant responsibilities companies have in safeguarding personal data, particularly in an era where digital security breaches can have widespread implications for user privacy and trust.
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