Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ireland fines WhatsApp €225m for breaking EU data protection rules

Ireland fines WhatsApp €225m for breaking EU data protection rules

Infringements relating to multiple GDPR articles were found. The Facebook-owned messaging platform was also cited for failing to meet its "transparency obligations".

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined WhatsApp €225 million for breaking EU rules on user privacy.

The authority said that WhatsApp Ireland had failed to provide the necessary data protection information to users.

It's the largest fine ever issued by the DPC and the second-largest imposed on an organisation under EU data protection laws.

The Facebook-owned messaging platform was also cited for failing to meet its "transparency obligations".

Why was WhatsApp fined?


The initial fine given to WhatsApp was increased by the European Data Protection Board due to "a number of factors", the DPC added.

The body, which is the lead data privacy regulator for Facebook within the European Union, said the issues related to whether WhatsApp conformed in 2018 with EU data rules about transparency.

"This includes information provided to data subjects about the processing of information between WhatsApp and other Facebook companies," the Irish regulator said in a statement.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement that the issues in question-related to policies in place in 2018.

"WhatsApp is committed to providing a secure and private service. We have worked to ensure the information we provide is transparent and comprehensive and will continue to do so," the spokesperson said.

What does the ruling say?


The decision by the DPC released on Thursday reads:

"An administrative fine, pursuant to Articles 58(2)(i) and 83, addressed to WhatsApp, in the amount of €225 million. For the avoidance of doubt, that fine reflects the infringements that were found to have occurred, as follows: i. In respect of the infringement of Article 5(1)(a) of the GDPR, a fine of €90 million; ii. In respect of the infringement of Article 12 of the GDPR, a fine of €30 million; iii. In respect of the infringement of Article 13 of the GDPR, a fine of €30 million; and iv. In respect of the infringement of Article 14 of the GDPR, a fine of €75 million."

The fine imposed by the DPC is the largest ever handed down by the watchdog.


But what does this actually refer to?

5.1 (a) - WhatsApp failed to process users' personal data in a lawful, fair and transparent way.

12 - WhatsApp failed to make information provide information on how data is collected "in a concise, transparent, intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language". This includes making information easy for child to understand if the information is addressed to them.

13 - WhatsApp failed to inform users where data was stored, details of someone users can contact, and purposes why collected and who receives data.

14 - WhatsApp failed to inform users when their personal data was obtained and processed from third parties and where this data came from.

How did it get to this?


The DPC has been criticised in the past by other European regulators for taking too long to reach decisions involving tech giants and for not fining them enough for any breaches.

Data regulators from eight other European countries triggered a dispute resolution mechanism after Ireland shared its provisional decision in relation to the WhatsApp inquiry, which started in December 2018.

In July, a meeting of the European Data Protection Board issued a "clear instruction that required the DPC to reassess and increase its proposed fine on the basis of a number of factors contained", the Irish regulator said.

"Following this reassessment the DPC has imposed a fine of €225 million on WhatsApp," it said.

What happens now?


The Irish regulator also imposed a reprimand along with an order for WhatsApp to bring its processing into compliance by taking "a range of specified remedial actions".

The Irish regulator had 14 major inquiries into Facebook and its subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram open as of the end of last year.

WhatsApp has also been ordered to take a number of actions to bring its data policies in line with strict EU regulations.

WhatsApp said the fine was "entirely disproportionate" and that it would appeal.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
JD Vance Warns Europe Faces “Civilizational Suicide” Over Open Borders and Speech Limits
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
×