Google and Meta fight back amidst South Korean Watchdog ruling

Google and Meta have taken legal action against a ruling that the South Korean data protection watchdog made. According to industry sources, South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) fined the renowned tech companies for collecting personal information illegally.

The tech giants took legal action after receiving a collective fine of 100 billion won, equivalent to $77.2 million. They were fined by the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC).

Google and Meta were fined in September 2022 for receiving users’ data without approval. They were also guilty of using the data to advertise their platform and for other personal purposes. According to South Korean authorities, the two companies broke the country’s privacy law.

According to news reports, the 100 billion won fine is the largest amount ever imposed for breaking the PIPC regulations. It was also the first time the country would penalize anyone in matters relating to collecting and using personal information.

The PIPC instructed the two companies to respect users’ privacy. The commission also directed the companies to seek users’ approval when sharing their information on other platforms.

While expressing their displeasure concerning PIPC’s action, Google and Meta argued that only those operating websites and applications are meant to receive legal approval when collecting personal data from their applications and those visiting their websites.

The PIPC also probed if the privacy policy update by Facebook’s administrator, Meta, broke any local laws and regulations. Meta’s controversial plan to prevent users from having access to its platform if they refuse the terms of its updated privacy policy has been reversed.

Photo credit: The American Genius