top of page

Instagram Fined 405 Million Euros After Allegations Of Mishandling Data About Minors

  • Sep 6, 2022
  • 1 min read

The EU has handed down its second-largest privacy fine in history to Instagram. The 405 million euros fine is around one percent of Meta’s (Instagram’s parent company) net income for 2021.


It is the culmination of an investigation, which was begun in 2020 and focused specifically on users of the platform aged between 13 and 17 years old who were operating business accounts. Investigators found that their phone numbers and email addresses had been published online by default. The Wall Street Journal reports that Meta updated settings in 2019 so that business users could opt out of showing their contact details; and that “users under 18 years old now have their accounts set automatically to private when they sign up”.


The case reflects the decision by the EU to take a tougher stance on the implementation of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Luxembourg fined Amazon.com 746 million euros last year whilst Ireland fined WhatsApp 225 million euros - both for alleged privacy violations.


Meta is planning on appealing the decision, according to Reuters.

 
 

This article is published in collaboration with Brainz Magazine’s network of global experts, carefully selected to share real, valuable insights.

Article Image

How To Prepare Your Family for a Stress-Less Summer Holiday

Yay, a family holiday! Why am I not excited? The car is finally packed (all by you, so it’s done properly). Someone can't find their shoes (did they even have them on when they got in the car?). One child is...

Start Now
Article Image

You Already Know What to Do, So What's Stopping You?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where, on paper, making a simple behaviour change should be straightforward, yet in practice it is quite the opposite? You are not alone.

Start Now
Article Image

The Imperfection That Makes Real Intimacy Possible

There is a particular paradox that lives at the heart of almost everyone who has done significant spiritual work. The more refined, evolved, and self-aware they become, the harder it can quietly become to actually...

Start Now
Article Image

You're Not Burned Out, You're Out of Coherence

Every fix you’ve tried has worked on paper. The earlier nights. The cleaner calendar. The boundaries you finally held. Still, that hum underneath everything. Quiet. Persistent. Waiting. What if it...

Start Now
Article Image

Stop Calling It Reflection If You’re Just Thinking

You leave work and drive home. The radio is off. The day is still running through your head, the conversation that went off on a tangent, the meeting you should have handled differently, the decision you keep...

Start Now
Article Image

Work-Life Balance Versus Sustainable Authority

If you’ve tried to find a better balance but still feel exhausted, you’re not alone. Many high-achieving women leaders are told they need better work-life balance, but that balance often fails when the deeper...

Start Now

The Subconscious Patterns That Shape Success

Start Now

When Self-Doubt Takes a Seat at the Table – 5 Ways to Manage It

Start Now

Three Workplace Conditions That Turn Autistic Strengths into Burnout

Start Now

Why the Future of Technology Must Be Green

Start Now

The Five Decisions That Decide Your Startup's First Year

Start Now

What If Cancer Begins Long Before the Tumour?

Start Now

Nobody Let You Down, Your Expectations Did

Start Now

The Hidden Pattern Behind Narcissistic Relationships, and How to Break the Cycle

Start Now

How a Social Media Detox Helps Overcome Self-Sabotage to Refuel Motivation in Business

Start Now
bottom of page