WhatsApp has been fined €225 million by an Irish watchdog for supposedly breaching the EU's data privacy laws - the second-largest GDPR fine of its kind.
WhatsApp. Credit: Eliseu Geisler / Shutterstock
WhatsApp is the latest in a string of US tech giants who have been hit by EU laws. Credit: Eliseu Geisler / Shutterstock
Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) alleges the messaging service failed to properly notify users within the bloc what was done with their data and how it was collected.
Read more: Google fined €500m by French antitrust regulators
WhatsApp has been ordered to amend its privacy policy to comply with EU law. This may require an expansion, which could be a contentious move, as some users have already levied criticism at this policy for already being far too long and complex.
The platform, whose EU headquarters are located in Dublin, Ireland, and is therefore under the jurisdiction of the DPC, revealed in a written statement that it disagrees with both the decision and the severity of the fine. It is expected to appeal.
The fine is based on an investigation into the platform that began in 2018 designed to address the transparency of its data policy.
These policies have been amended several times since the investigation began.
"WhatsApp is committed to providing a secure and private service," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"We have worked to ensure the information we provide is transparent and comprehensive and will continue to do so. We disagree with the decision today regarding the transparency we provided to people in 2018 and the penalties are entirely disproportionate."
EU regulators have been clamping down on tech giants in recent months, primarily attributed to the monopoly they hold over information and concerns over breaches of privacy.
Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, alongside Twitter has been under constant surveillance by a number of regulators for not doing enough to clamp down on "fake news" during the pandemic, while also receiving criticism from certain politicians for supposedly stifling free speech.
GDPR suits, specifically, allow for regulators to dish out fines equal to as much as 4% of the company's global turnover.
GDPR law also specifies that companies should be upfront about what is done with users' data.
The US's Federal Trade Commission has considered breaking up the tech giant in a recent major lawsuit over concerns it still holds too much power over social media and access to information as a whole.
Read more: US FTC eyes split-up of Facebook in major antitrust lawsuit
Amazon has also been under heavy scrutiny from several major economies for a myriad of different reasons, from data protection to tax evasion.
Various ministers from countries such as the Netherlands, Spain and France have all revealed the EU should be "tougher on Big Tech", particularly when it comes to curbing their power over competitors.
A top EU court also recently endorsed the powers of national authorities and watchdogs such as Ireland's DPC to go after tech giants.
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