Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will face a daily fine of 1 million Norwegian crowns (approximately €98,300) starting August 14th, following marketing practices deemed illegal by Norway's data protection authority (Datatilsynet).
Norway's data protection authority accused Meta of violating its ban on behavior-based marketing on Facebook and Instagram due to intrusive user surveillance practices. The regulator demanded that Meta cease these illegal activities until a legal solution is found.
Despite the August 4th deadline to resolve the issue, Meta did not stop the activity deemed illegal. Datatilsynet therefore decided to impose a daily fine of 1 million Norwegian crowns, applicable until November 3rd. The decision could become permanent if referred to the European Data Protection Board.
Meta responded by examining how to legally align with the requirements, but the Norwegian authority believes the ban was not respected. Meta also requested a temporary injunction against the ban, contested by Datatilsynet, emphasizing that Norwegian users' privacy rights would be violated as long as Meta fails to comply with the regulator's decision.
The question of a temporary injunction could have broader European implications, as Norway, although not an EU member, is part of the European single market. The temporary injunction decision will likely be issued in August.
