- The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has slammed Meta with a $220 million fine for a data breach
- The FCCPC disclosed that the company was fined after a 38-month-long investigation
- It said it found the company guilty of denying Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determine, unauthorized transfer and sharing of data
Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
The Nigerian government has fined Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, $220 million through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for alleged data privacy violations.
The FCCPC said in a statement signed by Adamu Abdullahi, its acting executive chairman, that it found Meta guilty of denying Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determine, unauthorized transfer and sharing of Nigerian data, including cross-border storage in violation, discrimination, and disparate treatment, abuse of dominance, and tying and bundling.
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WhatsApp disputes claims vows to appeal
The FCCPC said.
“The Final order also imposes a monetary penalty of Two Hundred and Twenty Million U.S. Dollars only ($220,000,000.00) (at prevailing exchange rate where applicable) which penalty is per the FCCPA 2018, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (Administrative Penalties) Regulations 2020 (APR).”
According to reports, a WhatsApp spokesman disclosed that the company will appeal the decision.
The Commission noted that it decided after a joint investigation with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which lasted for almost three years, that the investigation examined Meta’s conduct, privacy policies, and operations.
FCCPC reels out Meta’s offenses
The consumer watchdog said it started the investigations in May 2021 based on available evidence that the tech giant, via its platforms, had violated provisions of the FCCPC Act 2018 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019, which were already in operation before the enactment and operationalization of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
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FCCPC disclosed that Meta provided some information in answer to document requests and summons, noting that Meta’s counsels have also engaged and met with its investigators and analysts from the Commission and NDPC.
According to the FCCPC, its investigation revealed that the tech company engaged in conduct that included abuse and invasive practices against data consumers in Nigeria, such as personal data collection or information without consent and discriminatory practices against Nigerians.
The Commission disclosed that it allowed Meta to defend itself during the investigation before entering the final order regarding infringements.
WhatsApp releases compatible iPhone, and Android devices
Legit.ng previously reported that Users of WhatsApp have been told to update their operating systems to the newest one or risk being disconnected.
The iPhone devices to be affected include those who still use the iPhone 5 or iPhone 5C in 2022.
According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will no longer work on devices running iOS 10 or iOS 11 from October 24, 2022.
Source: Legit.ng
