Facebook Fined EUR 7 Million Over Improper Data Use by Italian Watchdog

The antitrust body earlier ruled that Facebook had not informed users properly about its collection and use of data.

By Reuters | Updated: 17 February 2021 15:49 IST

Facebook Fined EUR 7 Million Over Improper Data Use by Italian Watchdog

Italian watchdog asked Facebook to publish an amended statement on the homepage of its website for Italy

Highlights

It fined Facebook EUR 5 million (roughly Rs. 44 crores) in 2018
Users should be put in a position to decide whether data should be used
The current fine is for not complying with a request by the regulator

Facebook was fined EUR 7 million (roughly Rs. 61 crore) by an Italian watchdog for not complying with a request by the regulator to correct improper commercial practices in the group's treatment of user data.

Facebook was not immediately available for comment.

In November 2018, the antitrust body ruled that Facebook had not informed users properly about its collection and use of data.

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It fined the US company EUR 5 million (roughly Rs. 44 crores) and asked it to publish an amended statement on the homepage of its website for Italy, on the Facebook app and on the personal page of each registered Italian user.

"The current investigation has proved that ...(the company has) not published the amended statement and has not stopped the established unfair practice," the regulator said in its statement.

Given the economic value of the data for Facebook, it said users should be put in a position to decide whether it should be used.

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© Thomson Reuters 2021

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