A Spanish data watchdog has taken action against Meta by suspending two election-related products that were set to launch before the upcoming European Parliament elections. The Spanish Data Protection Agency halted Meta's Election Day Information and Voter Information Unit products due to concerns about the collection of unnecessary election data from Facebook and Instagram users. This decision was announced on May 31, just days before the elections were scheduled to begin on June 6.
Privacy Concerns and GDPR Violations
The Spanish Data Protection Agency expressed worries that Meta's products would gather personal data such as user names, IP addresses, age, and gender, potentially breaching the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The suspension of these products will remain in place for three months, highlighting the seriousness of the privacy concerns raised by the agency.
Increased Data Collection and Intrusive Profiling
The agency's statement emphasized that the planned data collection and storage by Meta could significantly jeopardize the rights and freedoms of Facebook and Instagram users. By allowing for more extensive profiling and intrusive data processing, Meta's actions could lead to a substantial increase in the volume of information collected about users, raising concerns about privacy and data protection.
Meta's Response and GDPR Compliance
In response to the suspension, Meta stated that their election tools were designed to uphold user privacy and comply with the GDPR. While expressing disagreement with the Spanish Data Protection Agency's assessment, Meta confirmed that they have cooperated with the regulatory body's request. However, a spokesperson for Meta did not provide immediate comments when approached by Business Insider for further clarification.
Investigation by the European Commission
This suspension comes in the wake of the European Commission launching an investigation in April into Meta's advertising policies and practices related to political content on its platforms. Meta responded by highlighting their established process for identifying and addressing risks on their services, indicating their commitment to ensuring transparency and compliance with regulations.
As the situation continues to unfold, it underscores the growing scrutiny faced by tech giants like Meta in navigating the complex landscape of data privacy and regulatory compliance.
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By: kbalevic@businessinsider.com (Katie Balevic)
Title: Spanish Data Watchdog Suspends Meta’s Election Tools Ahead of European Parliament Elections
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/meta-election-tool-voter-privacy-user-data-collection-european-union-2024-6
Published Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2024 21:19:37 +0000
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