WhatsApp says its parent body, Meta, will appeal the $220 million fine imposed on her by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over alleged violation of Nigeria’s data privacy laws.
The Daily Crucible reports that Nigeria’s FCCPC had on Friday, July 19, imposed a $220m fine on Meta platforms for violating data privacy laws.
The FCCPC in a statement that Meta’s data-sharing practices on its Facebook and WhatsApp platforms violated local consumer and data protection regulations.
The commission, in a statement signed by its acting Executive Chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, said that Meta had denied Nigerian users control over their data, shared data without consent, and abused its market dominance.
It 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 in accordance with the FCCPA 2018, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (Administrative Penalties) Regulations 2020.”
However, the organisation, Whatsapp, in a statement on Saturday in Lagos said it would appeal the fine.
It said: “We disagree with the decision today as well as the fine and Meta will be appealing the decision.
“In 2021, we went to users globally to explain how talking to businesses among other things would work and while there was a lot of confusion then, it has actually proven quite popular,” the organisation said.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the FCCPC’s final order imposed a monetary penalty of two hundred and twenty million U.S. Dollars only, on Meta.
The penalty is in accordance with the FCCPA 2018, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (Administrative Penalties) Regulations 2020,” the statement said.
The FCCPC announced that it initiated its investigation in May 2021, based on evidence suggesting that Meta, through its platforms, had breached the provisions of the FCCPA 2018 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.
It stated that these regulations were in effect prior to the enactment and implementation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
The competition protection body noted that Meta responded to document requests and summons by providing some information.
It stated that Meta’s representatives and retained legal counsel had consistently engaged with and met investigators and analysts from the commission and the NDPC, including as recently as April 4, 2024.
The FCCPC highlighted that its investigation uncovered evidence of Meta engaging in practices that were abusive and invasive towards data consumers in Nigeria.
This included collecting personal data without consent and implementing discriminatory practices against Nigerians, among other issues.
Meta Platforms, Inc., doing business as Meta, is an American multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California.
The company owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, among other products and services.
(NAN)
