In an effort to counter a fine imposed by Norway’s data regulator for infringing on user privacy, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has taken legal action by seeking a court order to suspend the penalty. The social media conglomerate, which owns Facebook and Instagram, faces a daily fine of 1 million crowns ($97,700) starting from August 14 due to privacy breaches, as confirmed by Norway’s data protection authority to Reuters on Monday. The implications of this decision could resonate across Europe.
Through a court filing, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is now pursuing a temporary injunction against the imposed fine. This matter will be deliberated upon during a two-day hearing commencing on August 22.
Meta Platforms has not responded to requests for comments, deferring media inquiries to its Norwegian legal representation. The company’s lawyer in Norway conveyed that the firm was challenging the fine’s enforcement.
Tobias Judin, the head of Datatilsynet’s international section, outlined that Meta’s objective is to persuade the court to put the order on hold until a complete trial can take place. However, Datatilsynet, the Norwegian data regulator, intends to contest this appeal, asserting that no grounds warrant such a suspension.
At the core of the issue, Datatilsynet insists that Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) are prohibited from collecting user data in Norway, including physical locations, for the purpose of targeted behavioral advertising—a prevalent business model among tech giants.
The fine is slated to remain in effect until November 3. If Datatilsynet chooses to escalate the matter, the European Data Protection Board could be called upon to make a final determination, potentially converting the penalty into a permanent fixture. Such an outcome could extend the jurisdiction of the decision across Europe. Nonetheless, Datatilsynet has yet to proceed in this direction.
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Author Faith Yakubu 
