Meta Hit With Record €1.2 Billion Fine For Data Transfers To The US

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has published its decision following its inquiry into Meta Platforms Ireland's transfer of personal data from the EU/EEA to the US for Meta's Facebook service. The corrective steps it has ordered and €1.2 billion fine, the largest ever issued under GDPR, are a substantial, albeit expected, blow for Meta. The DPC has effectively been dragged to this outcome by peer regulators in the EU and the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), who demanded more stringent action. The decision has broader implications for businesses relying on the EU standard contractual clauses (SCCs) and highlights the need for a political solution to facilitate the lawful transfer of personal data to the US. This briefing looks at the DPC's decision and its wider implications.