A regional court in Leipzig, Germany, has ordered Meta Platforms Ireland to pay €5,000 in damages to a Facebook user for privacy violations related to its business tools. The ruling, delivered Friday, hinges on significant breaches of European data protection law and acknowledges the considerable profits Meta derives from personalized advertising.
The court found that Meta’s business tools collect user data even when individuals are not logged into Facebook or Instagram. This data is then transferred globally, particularly to the United States, for evaluation. The judgment specifically references the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and aligns with previous rulings by the European Court of Justice concerning similar cases.
Judges stated the compensation amount exceeded standard national levels for pain and suffering, justifying the higher award by recognizing the immense value attached to personal data within Meta’s operations. The court intentionally refrained from holding an individual hearing with the claimant, deeming that no additional pertinent information would be gained. This decision is anticipated to potentially trigger a wave of further lawsuits from Facebook users across Europe.