Official announcements from any EU data protection regulatory bodies

Meta Fined €251 Million ($263 Million) for 2018 Data Breach Affecting 29 Million Users via 'View As' Feature

Dec 17, 2024, 03:38 PM

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been fined €251 million (approximately $263 million) by Ireland's Data Protection Commission due to a significant data breach that occurred in September 2018. The breach exposed the personal data of approximately 29 million users globally, including around 3 million users in the European Union. The investigation revealed that hackers exploited vulnerabilities in Facebook's 'View As' feature, allowing them to access users' private profile information. This penalty marks the third major fine imposed on Meta by European regulators in recent years for data protection violations. Meta has indicated plans to appeal the decision.