Federal Gov’t imposes $220m fine on Meta for data, consumer law breach
The Federal Government has imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta Platforms Inc. (META.O) after investigations proved that data-sharing practices on its Facebook and WhatsApp platforms breached local consumer protection, data protection, and privacy laws.
On Friday, Adama Abdullahi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), disclosed the penalty through a statement.
She said the sanction is in accordance with the FCCPA 2018, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (administrative penalties) Regulations 2020 (APR).
The regulatory body imposed the sanction subsequent to a collaborative investigation conducted by FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the company’s behaviour, privacy protocols, their operational framework, and procedures spanning from May 2021 to December 2023.
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The FCCPC’s investigation revealed that Meta utilised the data of Nigerian users without obtaining proper consent.
The commission also accused Meta of exploiting its market dominance and by applying discriminatory practices to Nigerian users, treating them differently from users in other jurisdictions with similar regulatory frameworks.
However, Meta has not yet provided any comment on the fine or the FCCPC’s allegations.
Proofreading, editing by Jamila Yunusa Suleiman and Maryam Sulaiman, Editor and Journalist at Neptune Prime.
