Hanff has also brought a similar complaint against Meta, the company behind Instagram and Facebook. The allegations claim that Meta’s collection of personal data without explicit consent is a violation of Ireland law. Specifically, Hanff believes that Meta has been using information for its behavior ad targeting practice for at least 5 years (viaThe Register). The company is accused of using surveillance technology to keep track of users’ behavior. With this data, it has supposedly been able to tailor ads to users of its platforms.
As the EU continues to roll out more privacy and security regulations for Big Tech, companies are making changes to comply and avoid penalties. Earlier in 2023, for instance,Google expanded its Ads Transparency Centerto provide more details on how advertisers target consumers. Information explains how advertisers choose to display ads and when they are run. The company also created a separate Transparency Center where the public can gain insight into how Google develops and enforces its own safety policies. Going forward, Google has stated that it intends to continue working with the European Commission to ensure it complies with regulations.
The outcome of Hanff’s criminal complaints has yet to be seen, but they could be the first of many to be filed against Google, Meta, and other industry leaders. With legislators’ growing concerns over market competition and the public looking to protect personal data, these companies’ existing practices will likely continue to be scrutinized. If more regulations are put into place, these tech giants will have no choice but to comply. The impact on their bottom lines has yet to be seen, but given the financial penalties that could ensue, making such changes could be less detrimental in the end.
