Norway Will Begin Fining Meta $98,500 Per Day For Serving Users Personalized Ads
Norway’s data regulator is acting out its threats against Meta after an earlier warning. The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (NDPA) will fine the Instagram and Facebook owner €89,500 (or $98,500) per day for showing personalized ads, dubbed behavioral advertising, to users in Norway. The order kicks in on August 14, and will last at least three months.
Meta did not immediately reply to The Messenger’s request for comment.
Meta’s recent brush with Norway dates back to mid-July when the NDPA sent a notice to the company ordering it to ban Instagram, Facebook and Threads from showing ads based on a user’s online activity and location. The proposed change would significantly limit the ability of apps to track users. It constrains social media apps to rely only on data available on users’ “about” section of their profiles.
Meta had until August 4 to prove it had solved the problem, Reuters reported. By failing to address the problem before the deadline, the company will face nearly $9 million in fines over three months. Norway will then have the option to extend the fine if it gains approval from the European Data Protection Board.
While the total fine is tiny relative to Meta’s quarterly revenue of over $30 billion, it represents one of many of the company’s battles with European regulators over its data practices. The company has accumulated over €900 million in European Union fines since 2021, including a $430 million penalty by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission for infringing on the privacy of EU citizens.
