First complaints against Social Media platforms following GDPR law changes
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The Financial Times report that Facebook and Google became the first large tech groups to be accused of breaking the EU’s far-reaching new privacy rules that came into force on Friday when an Austrian activist who has already beaten Facebook in a major privacy case filed complaints against them across Europe.
“Max Schrems and his non-profit organisation None Of Your Business (NOYB) filed four complaints under the General Data Protection Regulation — one against Facebook, one each against its subsidiaries Instagram and WhatsApp, and another against Google’s Android.”
The BBC reports that the privacy group noyb.eu led by activist Max Schrems said people were not being given a “free choice”. If the complaints are upheld, the websites may be forced to change how they operate, and they could be fined.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which entered into force on Friday, is a new EU law that changes how personal data can be collected and used. Through these changes, non-EU companies must follow the new rules when offering their services in the EU.
In its four complaints, noyb.eu argues that the named companies are in breach of GDPR because they have adopted a “take it or leave it approach”.
