Following an investigation in to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) WhatsApp has been slapped with a €225m fine by the data protection commissioner.
The investigation found that WhatsApp had breached European Union laws on data laws on transparency and the sharing of cutomers information with other companies that Facebook owns.
The office of the data protection commissioner (DPC) in Dublin has issued a “reprimand” to WhatsApp and the company has been ordered to bring their practices inline with EU standards.
The probe into WhatsApp examined if the company met the transparency obligations over the provision of information to users and non-users.
The investigation also looked into if users were given information over data sharing between WhatsApp and other companies owned by Facebook.
In a press statement, WhatsApp said the fine was “disproportionate” and they will appeal the ruling.
They said, “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.
“We disagree with the decision today regarding the transparency we provided to people in 2018 and the penalties are entirely disproportionate.”
On July 28 2021, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted a binding decision then the DPC were notified.
“This decision contained a clear instruction that required the DPC to reassess and increase its proposed fine on the basis of a number of factors contained in the EDPB’s decision and following this reassessment the DPC has imposed a fine of €225m on WhatsApp,” a DPC statement said.
“In addition to the imposition of an administrative fine, the DPC has also imposed a reprimand along with an order for WhatsApp to bring its processing into compliance by taking a range of specified remedial actions.”
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