SEOUL: Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been accused by South Korea’s data watchdog of illegally collecting sensitive information from nearly a million Facebook users and sharing it with advertisers.
The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) stated on Tuesday that Meta violated South Korean laws by harvesting data related to users’ political opinions, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation without explicit consent.
The data, collected from approximately 980,000 South Korean Facebook users, included details such as religious beliefs and information about users’ sexual orientation or same-sex relationships.
Meta used this data, along with user behaviour such as liked pages and clicked ads, to target users with ads on sensitive topics like transgender issues, homosexuality, and North Korean defectors.
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The PIPC confirmed that Meta shared this data with about 4,000 advertisers, violating laws that prohibit the use of such sensitive information without user consent.
As a result, the commission imposed a fine of 21.6 billion won (around $15.6 million) on the tech giant.
Meta stated it would “carefully review the decision document once we receive it.”
In addition to the fine, the watchdog has ordered Meta to ensure it has legal grounds for processing sensitive information, implement safeguards to protect user data, and respond appropriately to user requests for access to their personal information.
The PIPC’s decision highlights the growing importance of global companies adhering to local data protection laws, particularly when it comes to processing sensitive personal data.
