14 DAY TRIAL // Facebook has been fined 150,000 Euro by French authorities for violation of user privacy. The fine was handed down by French watchdog CNIL and amounts to about $166,000.
The social media giant is accused of failing to properly inform users of the actual amount of data it collects on them, information which is then used for advertising purposes.
The 150,000 Euro fine is but a slap on the wrist for Facebook, but that's actually the maximum amount CNIL was allowed to fine a company when the investigation began. Nowadays, that sum rises up to 3 million euros. Even if that had been the case for Facebook, it would still have been pocket change.
"The investigation conducted by the CNIL have revealed several failures. In particular, it has been observed that Facebook proceeded to a massive compilation of personal data oN Internet users in order to display targeted advertising. It has also been noticed that Facebook collected data on browsing activity of Internet users on third-party websites, via the 'datr' cookie, without their knowledge," CNIL said in a statement.
Facebook disagrees with decision
For its part, Facebook disagrees with CNIL. "Over recent years, we've simplified our policies further to help people understand how we use information to make Facebook better. We take not of the CNIL's decision with which we respectfully disagree. We remain open to continuing to work on these issues with CNIL, as we prepare for the EU's new data protection regulations in 2018," the company said.
The case goes back to last year when the French watchdog gave Facebook a deadline to stop tracking non-users' web activity without their consent. They ordered the social network to also stop some transfer of people's personal data to the United States.
Facebook is closing in on 2 billion monthly users. Some 33 million live in France.