Nigeria fines Meta $220 million for violating consumer, data protection, and privacy laws. Investigation reveals Meta appropriated user data, imposed exploitative policies, and discriminated against Nigerian users.
Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has levied a substantial $220 million fine against Meta Platforms for violating the country’s consumer, data protection, and privacy laws.
The FCCPC’s investigation, conducted jointly with the Nigerian Data Protection Commission over 38 months, revealed that Meta had appropriated user data without consent, imposed exploitative privacy policies, and discriminated against Nigerian users compared to those in other jurisdictions.
The commission found that Meta’s practices denied users the right to control their personal data, forcing them into accepting unfavorable terms. This conduct was deemed abusive and invasive, leading to the significant financial penalty.
Meta has been ordered to comply with Nigerian laws and take corrective actions to protect user privacy. This ruling adds to the growing list of regulatory challenges Meta faces globally over data privacy concerns.
Source: Reuters
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