This Wednesday, the Norwegian data regulatory authority disclosed to the court that Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has violated European data privacy regulations in the country, an issue that could have broader implications for all of Europe.
Although Norway is not a member of the European Union, being part of the European single market, it is still bound by its rules.
Since August 14, Meta has been fined 1 million Norwegian kroner (about $94,145) per day for collecting user data and using it for targeted advertising, a common business model among large tech giants known as "behavioral advertising."
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is seeking a temporary injunction against this decision, which prescribes daily fines for the next three months.
Hanne Inger Bjurstroem Jahren, a representative lawyer for Datatilsynet, pointed out that the fine is valid because Meta did not comply with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
It was stated in court that there's no need to debate whether the company violated these regulations, as Meta has indeed breached GDPR rules.
Meta told the court on Tuesday that it had committed to obtaining user consent and accused Datatilsynet of using an "expedited procedure" without giving the company enough time to respond.
The regulatory authority stated that it's currently unclear when and how Meta obtained user consent, while meanwhile, users' rights are being violated.
If the European Data Protection Board agrees with the Norwegian regulator's decision, Datatilsynet could make the fines permanent by submitting its decision to the board, which could also broaden the decision's geographical scope to encompass all of Europe. However, Datatilsynet has not yet taken this step.
