© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The shadow of a mobile user is seen next to the on-screen projection of the Instagram logo in this illustration taken on March 28, 2018. REUTERS / Dado Ruvic / Illustration / File Photo
A watchdog spokesman said: DUBLIN (Reuters) – The state’s data privacy regulator has agreed to a record 405 million euros ($402 million) fine against social network Instagram following investigation into its handling of children’s data, a spokesman for the watchdog said.
A spokesperson for parent company Meta Platforms Inc said Instagram plans to appeal against the fine.
The investigation, which began in 2020, focused on child users between the ages of 13 and 17, who were allowed to use business accounts, which facilitated the release of phone numbers. and/or the user’s email address.
“We passed our final decision last Friday and it has a fine of €405 million,” said a spokesman for the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), the parent company’s chief executive. Meta Platforms Inc. of Instagram, said.
He said full details of the decision will be announced next week.
A spokesperson for Meta said Instagram updated its settings over a year ago and has since released new features to keep teens safe and their information private.
The spokesperson said Instagram disagrees with how the fine is calculated and is carefully reviewing the decision.
The DPC regulates Facebook (NASDAQ:), Apple (NASDAQ:), Google (NASDAQ:) and other giant tech companies due to the location of the EU headquarters in Ireland. It has opened more than a dozen investigations into Meta companies, including Facebook and WhatsApp.
Last year, WhatsApp was fined a record 225 million euros for failing to comply with EU data rules in 2018.
The Irish regulator completed a draft ruling in its Instagram investigation in December and shared it with other European Union regulators under the bloc’s “one-stop shop” system to regulate companies. large multinational company.
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