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Meta Fined $15 Million in South Korea for Privacy Violations
South Korea fines Meta $15 million for illegally collecting and sharing sensitive user data.
English
United States
Human Rights ViolationsArtificial IntelligenceCybersecuritySecurityPrivacyDataFineViolation
MetaFacebookPersonal Information Protection CommissionGoogleInstagram
Lee Eun Jung
- What period did Meta's unlawful data collection cover?
- Meta shared the collected data with approximately 4,000 advertisers, violating South Korea's privacy law which strictly protects information related to personal beliefs, political views, and sexual behavior.
- How many advertisers did Meta share the sensitive user data with?
- The investigation also found that Meta failed to implement basic security measures, resulting in data breaches affecting at least 10 South Korean Facebook users due to unauthorized password resets.
- What type of sensitive user data did Meta illegally collect and share?
- The fine follows a four-year investigation revealing Meta's unlawful collection of sensitive information from around 980,000 Facebook users between July 2018 and March 2022.
- What was the amount of the fine imposed on Meta by South Korea's privacy watchdog?
- South Korea's privacy watchdog fined Meta 21.6 billion won ($15 million) for illegally collecting sensitive user data, including political views and sexual orientation, and sharing it with advertisers.
- What security failures contributed to data breaches affecting South Korean Facebook users?
- This is the latest in a series of penalties against Meta by South Korean authorities, reflecting increased scrutiny of the company's handling of private information and highlighting the importance of user data protection laws.