Data Protection Academy » Data Protection News » Facebook has to pay a $5 billion fine

Facebook fine

Facebook has to pay a $5 billion fine

Date: 25.07.2019

Responsible body: Facebook

Type of data breach: Unauthorised processing of Facebook user data

Disclosure of user data to the data analytics startup Cambridge Analytica. Cambridge Analytica had illegally processed personal data of Facebook users and evaluated their personal profiles. The data protection incident took place in 2011 and led to a rethink, as a result of which Facebook should be more closely controlled. Because of the unauthorized processing, Facebook will have to pay $5 billion in fines. In addition to the financial fine, structural changes are also expected to be made to more Data protection and transparency.

Categories of data concerned: birthday, religion, political orientation, Likes

Persons concerned: 87 million people

Country: USA

Fines: 5 billion US dollars

Source: heise

Back to the overview of the data breaches

Book demo

Caroline Schwabe
Latest posts by Caroline Schwabe (see all)

This might interest you too:

Data protection fine imposed on the Municipality of Oslo Education Authority

120.000 € because the security of the app "Skolemelding" for communication between school staff, parents and pupils was not guaranteed.
Read more

Data protection fine Swedish company

35,000 euros fine for violation of three Swedish laws at once. Information about creditworthiness published.
Read more

Highest data protection fine to date hits Delivery Hero

In August, the Berlin data protection commissioner had already imposed the highest German fine to date, amounting to 195,407 euros.
Read more