Low
Enforcement
Filed
Netherlands · Dec 14, 2023
noyb files GDPR and DSA complaint against X (Twitter) over illegal political micro‑targeting
noyb lodged a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority alleging that X (Twitter) used users' political views and religious beliefs for targeted advertising on behalf of the EU Commission. The complaint asserts violations of the…
Dutch Data Protection Authority · Digital Services Act
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
Austria · Nov 28, 2023
noyb files GDPR complaint against Meta over “Pay or Okay” tracking fee
noyb lodged a complaint with the Austrian Data Protection Authority alleging that Meta’s practice of charging users up to €251.88 a year to avoid personalized advertising violates GDPR consent requirements. The complaint references the…
Austrian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Nov 16, 2023
noyb files complaint with EDPS over EU Commission’s political micro‑targeting ads on X
noyb lodged a complaint with the European Data Protection Supervisor alleging the EU Commission used unlawful micro‑targeting on X to promote its chat‑control proposal. The ads targeted users based on political views and religious beliefs…
European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Interpretation
Announced
European Union · Oct 3, 2023
Meta proposes 'Pay for your Rights' model charging EU users €160/year for non‑consent
Meta plans to charge EU users €160 per year if they do not consent to the processing of their personal data on Facebook and Instagram. The proposal references an obiter dictum from the CJEU case C‑252/21 that an alternative to ads may be…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
Decided
Norway (EEA) · Sep 29, 2023
Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board upholds €5.8 million fine against Grindr
The Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board confirmed the Norwegian Data Protection Authority's fine of NOK 65 million against the dating app Grindr for sharing sensitive personal data with third parties. The fine, approximately €5.8 million…
Norwegian Data Protection Authority · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Filed
France · Sep 14, 2023
noyb files three complaints in France alleging illegal data sharing by Fnac, SeLoger, MyFitnessPal apps
noyb lodged complaints with the French data protection authority (CNIL) against the mobile apps of Fnac, SeLoger and MyFitnessPal, alleging they collect and share personal data without user consent. The complaints cite violations of the…
CNIL · ePrivacy Directive
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Aug 1, 2023
Meta to switch to consent for behavioral ads after EU litigation
Meta announced it will seek user consent before showing behavioral ads in the EU and Switzerland, changing its legal basis from legitimate interest to consent. The move follows litigation by noyb, decisions by the EDPB and the CJEU, and a…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
In effect
Norway (EEA) · Jul 17, 2023 · effective Aug 4, 2023
Norwegian DPA temporarily bans Meta’s behavioral advertising on Facebook and Instagram
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet) issued a temporary ban on Meta's use of behavioral advertising on Facebook and Instagram, effective from August 4 for at least three months. The ban remains until Meta can demonstrate…
Datatilsynet · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Court ruling
Decided
Germany · Jul 4, 2023
CJEU rules Meta must rely on consent for advertising, limiting GDPR bypass attempts
The Court of Justice of the EU held that Meta may only process personal data for core services and must obtain freely given consent for advertising and data sharing. The judgment rejects Meta's reliance on contractual necessity and…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
In effect
France · Jun 22, 2023
French CNIL fines Criteo €40 million for GDPR violations
The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) fined Criteo €40 million for violating the GDPR, including lack of valid consent, transparency, and failure to respect the right to erasure and access. The enforcement followed complaints filed…
CNIL · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Guidance
Announced
European Union · Apr 4, 2023
noyb launches free tool for broad Facebook opt‑out under GDPR
The privacy NGO noyb released an online tool that lets users submit a broad objection to Meta’s processing of personal data for targeted advertising, which Meta bases on “legitimate interest”. The tool simplifies the GDPR right to object…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
In effect
European Union · Mar 30, 2023
Meta to rely on 'legitimate interest' for ads after EDPB decision
noyb won a series of complaints against Meta before the European Data Protection Board in December 2022. The EDPB decision required Meta to stop using the "necessary under contract" legal basis for advertising. Meta now plans to rely on…
European Data Protection Board (EDPB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Filed
Germany · Mar 21, 2023
noyb files GDPR complaints against German parties for political microtargeting on Facebook
noyb filed a series of complaints against several German political parties alleging unlawful political microtargeting on Facebook during the 2021 federal election. The complaints claim violations of the GDPR because the parties and…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Low
Enforcement
Published
Austria · Mar 16, 2023
Austrian DSB declares Meta tracking tools illegal under GDPR
The Austrian Data Protection Authority ruled that Meta's tracking pixel, Facebook Login and Meta Pixel violate the GDPR and the Schrems II decision on transatlantic data transfers. The decision advises EU website operators not to use any…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Filed
European Union · Feb 28, 2023
noyb files complaints against data brokers for refusing cookie‑based authentication of GDPR access requests
noyb lodged a series of complaints against websites and data brokers that denied or complicated GDPR access requests by requiring additional identification beyond cookies. The complaints argue that, under GDPR and EDPB guidance, users…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
Announced
Ireland · Jan 27, 2023
Irish DPC announces €390 million fine on Meta for GDPR consent breach
The Irish Data Protection Commission announced a €390 million fine against Meta, ordering it to obtain valid consent for personalized advertising after the European Data Protection Board issued a binding decision. The fine illustrates…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Published
Ireland · Jan 11, 2023
Irish DPC fines Meta €60m for unlawful processing and €150m for transparency breaches
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) issued a final decision imposing a €150 million fine on Facebook for transparency failures and a €60 million fine on Meta for lacking a legal basis to process personal data. The decision also…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Jan 4, 2023
EU EDPB bans Meta from using personal data for personalized ads, imposes €390 million fine
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) decided that Meta (Facebook and Instagram) may not use personal data for personalized advertising and must obtain opt‑in consent. The decision also imposes a total fine of €390 million on Meta.…
European Data Protection Board (EDPB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Fine
In effect
Ireland · Jan 4, 2023 · effective Jan 4, 2023
EU data protection board fines Meta €390 million and bans personalized ads
The European Data Protection Board, following the Irish Data Protection Commission, ruled that Meta's use of personal data for personalized advertising violated the GDPR and imposed a €390 million fine. Meta must obtain opt‑in consent and…
European Data Protection Board · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate
Enforcement
Announced
European Union · Dec 6, 2022
EU Data Protection Board rules Meta's consent bypass for personalized ads illegal
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) decided that Meta cannot force users to accept personalized ads and must obtain a yes/no consent option. The decision overturns a previous draft decision by the Irish Data Protection Commission and…
European Data Protection Board (EDPB) · General Data Protection Regulation