The European Union slapped Meta with a record $1.3 billion privacy fine Monday and ordered it to stop transferring users91裸聊视频� personal information across the Atlantic by October, the latest salvo in a .

The penalty of 1.2 billion euros is the biggest since the EU91裸聊视频檚 strict data privacy regime took effect five years ago, surpassing in 2021 for data protection violations.

Meta, which had previously warned that services for its users in Europe could be cut off, vowed to appeal and ask courts to immediately put the decision on hold.

The company said 91裸聊视频渢here is no immediate disruption to Facebook in Europe.91裸聊视频� The decision applies to user data like names, email and IP addresses, messages, viewing history, geolocation data and other information that Meta 91裸聊视频� and other tech giants like Google 91裸聊视频� use for targeted online ads.

91裸聊视频淭his decision is flawed, unjustified and sets a dangerous precedent for the countless other companies transferring data between the EU and U.S.,91裸聊视频� Nick Clegg, Meta91裸聊视频檚 president of global affairs, and chief legal officer Jennifer Newstead said in a statement.

It91裸聊视频檚 yet another twist in a legal battle that began in 2013 when Austrian lawyer and privacy activist Max Schrems filed a complaint about Facebook91裸聊视频檚 handling of his data following former National Security Agency contractor of electronic surveillance by U.S. security agencies. That included the disclosure that Facebook gave the agencies access to the personal data of Europeans.

The saga has highlighted the over the differences between Europe91裸聊视频檚 strict view on data privacy and the comparatively lax regime in the U.S., which lacks a federal privacy law. The EU has been a global leader in reining in the power of Big Tech with a series of regulations and protect users91裸聊视频� personal information.

An agreement covering EU-U.S. data transfers known as the by the EU91裸聊视频檚 top court, which said it didn91裸聊视频檛 do enough to protect residents from the U.S. government91裸聊视频檚 electronic prying. Monday91裸聊视频檚 decision confirmed that another tool to govern data transfers 91裸聊视频� stock legal contracts 91裸聊视频� was also invalid.

last year on a reworked Privacy Shield that Meta could use, but the pact is awaiting a decision from European officials on whether it adequately protects data privacy.

EU institutions have been reviewing the agreement, and the bloc91裸聊视频檚 lawmakers , saying the safeguards aren91裸聊视频檛 strong enough.

The Ireland91裸聊视频檚 Data Protection Commission handed down the fine as Meta91裸聊视频檚 lead privacy regulator in the 27-nation bloc because the Silicon Valley tech giant91裸聊视频檚 European headquarters is based in Dublin.

The Irish watchdog said it gave Meta five months to stop sending European user data to the U.S. and six months to bring its data operations into compliance 91裸聊视频渂y ceasing the unlawful processing, including storage, in the U.S.91裸聊视频� of European users91裸聊视频� personal data transferred in violation of the bloc91裸聊视频檚 privacy rules.

In other words, Meta has to erase all that data, which could be a bigger problem than the fine, said Johnny Ryan, senior fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, a nonprofit rights group that has worked on digital and data issues.

91裸聊视频淭his order to delete data is really a headache for Meta,91裸聊视频� Ryan said. If the company has to scrub data for hundreds of millions of European Union users going back 10 years, 91裸聊视频渋t is very hard to see how it will be able to comply with that order.91裸聊视频�

If a new transatlantic privacy agreement does take effect before the deadlines, 91裸聊视频渙ur services can continue as they do today without any disruption or impact on users,91裸聊视频� Meta said.

Schrems predicted that Meta has 91裸聊视频渘o real chance91裸聊视频� of getting the decision materially overturned. And a new privacy pact might not mean the end of Meta91裸聊视频檚 troubles, because there91裸聊视频檚 a good chance it could be tossed out by the EU91裸聊视频檚 top court, he said.

91裸聊视频淢eta plans to rely on the new deal for transfers going forward, but this is likely not a permanent fix,91裸聊视频� Schrems said in a statement. 91裸聊视频淯nless U.S. surveillance laws gets fixed, Meta will likely have to keep EU data in the EU.91裸聊视频�

Schrems said a possible solution could be a 91裸聊视频渇ederated91裸聊视频� social network, where European data stays in Meta91裸聊视频檚 data centers in Europe, 91裸聊视频渦nless users for example chat with a U.S. friend.91裸聊视频�

Meta warned in its latest earnings report that without a legal basis for data transfers, it will be forced to stop offering its products and services in Europe, 91裸聊视频渨hich would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.91裸聊视频�

The social media company might have to carry out a costly and complex revamp of its operations if it91裸聊视频檚 ultimately forced to stop the transfers. Meta has a fleet of 21 data centers, according to its website, but 17 of them are in the United States. Three others are in the European nations of Denmark, Ireland and Sweden. Another is in Singapore.

Other social media giants are facing pressure over their data practices. about the Chinese-owned short video sharing app91裸聊视频檚 potential cybersecurity risks with a $1.5 billion project to store U.S. user data on Oracle servers.

Kelvin Chan, The Associated Press

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