Dublin, Dec 18, 2024 – Meta fined €251M for failing GDPR obligations after the 2018 data breach that exposed millions. Privacy lapses trigger a global reckoning for the tech giant.
Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, has been slammed with a staggering €251 million fine by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) for its role in the notorious 2018 data breach that compromised 29 million accounts worldwide.
This marks a critical blow to Meta under the stringent GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The breach originated from a bug in Facebook’s “View As” feature, exploited by hackers to steal user access tokens.
These tokens granted attackers unauthorized access to personal data, including names, emails, phone numbers, and even sensitive details like locations, workplaces, and religious affiliations. In the EU alone, 3 million users were affected, exposing Meta’s failure to safeguard its vast user base.
Graham Doyle, Deputy Commissioner at the DPC emphasized:
This fine underscores the consequences of neglecting privacy in system designs. Such vulnerabilities place individuals at significant risk.
Meta’s troubles don’t stop here. In addition to this penalty, the company faces global scrutiny, including a $31.5 million settlement in Australia for the misuse of data tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Meta’s historical lapses in transparency and data security continue to fuel public distrust.
Cybersecurity expert Catherine Loveria commented:
Meta’s repeated violations show a lack of accountability in handling user data. Companies must do better.
The €251 million fine serves as a wake-up call to tech firms worldwide, emphasizing the cost of ignoring privacy-by-design principles mandated by GDPR. Meta claims to have implemented fixes, but the stain of such breaches lingers.
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