Meta hit with record €520m penalty in landmark EU child privacy case

European regulators have imposed a historic fine on

European regulators have imposed a historic fine on Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over systemic violations of children's data privacy. The penalty, announced on Friday by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), totals €520 million ($567 million), marking the largest sanction ever issued in a child safety case against a social media platform.

The DPC's investigation found that Meta had unlawfully processed the personal data of minors, including allowing users under 18 to operate accounts with public-by-default settings and failing to implement adequate age-verification measures. The ruling also addresses Meta's long-standing practice of collecting and using children's data for targeted advertising without proper legal basis, a direct breach of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This latest penalty adds to a previous €343 million ($375 million) fine imposed on Meta in the same case, bringing the total financial burden to €863 million ($942 million). The combined sanction reflects the severity and persistence of the violations, which the DPC said spanned several years and affected millions of young users across the bloc.

In its decision, the DPC ordered Meta to

In its decision, the DPC ordered Meta to overhaul its data-processing operations for minors, including implementing stricter privacy settings by default and ensuring that any future data use complies with GDPR standards. The company must also submit to regular compliance audits, with the possibility of further penalties if it fails to meet the deadlines set by the regulator.

Meta has announced plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that it has already made significant changes to its platforms to protect young users, such as introducing age-appropriate experiences and parental controls. However, privacy advocates have welcomed the decision, calling it a clear signal that tech giants must prioritize children's safety over profit.

The fine is part of a broader crackdown on Big Tech by EU regulators, who have been increasingly aggressive in enforcing digital rights laws. This case, in particular, sets a precedent for how data protection authorities can hold companies accountable for systemic failures affecting vulnerable populations, potentially influencing similar investigations across the globe.