Instagram in trouble: Ireland’s data privacy regulator has decided to impose a fine of 405 million euros on Instagram

Following an examination into the social network Instagram’s handling of children’s data, Ireland’s data privacy regulator has decided to impose a record fine of 405 million euros ($402 million) against it, a spokeswoman said. The probe, which got underway in 2020, concentrated on young users between the ages of 13 and 17 who were permitted to use business accounts, which made it easier for their contact information to be made public.

The principal regulator of Instagram’s parent company Meta Platforms Inc., Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), said in a statement, “We adopted our final judgement last Friday and it does involve a fine of 405 million euros.”Because Facebook, Apple, Google, and other tech companies have their EU headquarters in Ireland, the DPC is responsible for regulating them. More than a dozen inquiries have been made into Meta firms, including as Facebook and WhatsApp. Under the EU’s “one-stop shop” method for regulating big corporations, the Irish regulator finalized a written judgement in the Instagram inquiry in December and shared it with other EU regulators.