Social network Instagram, part of tech giant Meta (formerly Facebook), will have to pay the largest fine in its history. The reason is the leakage of personal data of underage users.
Security of personal data
The phone numbers, emails and other personal data of a number of underage users of the social network Instagram have become public. The Irish Data Protection Authority has therefore fined Instagram 405 million euros. It proved that Instagram failed to adequately secure personal data, resulting in a leak.
Instagram will not avoid the fine
However, Meta Platforms, of which Instagram is a part, plans to appeal the authority’s decision, a spokesperson for the tech giant told Reuters. Details of the Irish regulator’s decision will be published within the next week, a spokesman said.
The investigation began in 2020 and involved data leaks of users primarily between the ages of 13 and 17. Meta Platforms defends that Instagram has taken additional security measures, and now users’ data is safe. However, he is unlikely to avoid a fine.
