Court sides with regulator's $100K daily fine imposed on Meta over privacy concerns
Meta has lost a legal battle to freeze an order from Norway’s data protection authority that imposes hefty fines on the Facebook and Instagram owner over advertising practices deemed to violate user privacy
NEW YORK — Meta lost a legal battle Wednesday to halt a Norwegian ban on its advertising practices that came with hefty daily fines, in a blow to the U.S. social media giant’s business model.
Norwegian regulator Datatilsynet in July announced a “temporary ban” on Facebook and Instagram’s behavioral advertising — a common marketing practice that tech giants like Meta use at the heart of their business models to sell targeted ads based on user data ranging from personal interests to places they’ve been.
Such practices without adequate consent violate user privacy and are illegal, Datatilsynet said, adding that the ban was set to last for three months or until Meta complies with the law.
During the ban, which began last month, Instagram and Facebook can continue to operate normally in Norway — but if they do, Meta faces a “coercive fine” of up to 1 million Norwegian kroner (nearly $100,000) each day. In efforts to challenge this, Meta applied for a temporary injunction — arguing that the Datatilsynet did not have legal grounds for its urgent decision, citing factors including inadequate notice.
But on Wednesday, Oslo District Court sided with the privacy watchdog. The ruling confirms the ban's daily fine became applicable on Aug. 14 and continues to add up.
“We are very pleased with the Court’s ruling and the result. This is a big victory for people’s data protection rights,” Datatilsynet director general Line Coll said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a Meta spokesperson said that the company was “disappointed” by the
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