WhatsApp Hit with €55 Million Fine for Privacy Violations

WhatsApp is facing an €55 million privacy-related fine from the European Union’s data protection authority for allegedly violating the region's data protection laws. The fine comes after the EU's data protection authorities started looking into the WhatsApp's privacy policy and its implications since the instant messaging platform was bought by Facebook in 2014. The EU data protection agencies have accused WhatsApp of inappropriately sharing user data with Facebook without providing users a choice to opt-out. WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, is yet to make a formal response to the allegations but Facebook has claimed that the cross-company sharing of data meets European data protection law. However, this has been disputed by the EU authorities. The EU said that WhatsApp has failed to properly inform users about its changes in the privacy policy and that its 2018 policy does not comply with EU data protection laws. This led to the EU opening legal action against Facebook, and WhatsApp being fined. The fine is an increase from the €50 million fine Facebook was given back in 2018 for data protection violations. In the past, WhatsApp was also blamed for a number of legal issues related to privacy, including giving users access to user's location data and personal information without clear consent. The WhatsApp fine came after the GDPR enactment which led to a sharp increase in fines issued by the EU's data protection authorities. The fine is one of the largest issued by the EU's authorities, and one of the few of this magnitude to target a tech giant based in the US. The WhatsApp €55 million fine highlights the need for companies to ensure they are following data protection laws, and that users are given clear notice of what data is being collected and shared. Although this investigation predominantly targeted WhatsApp, users of all platforms must be aware of the data protection laws in their region, and what their rights are.

This Cyber News was published on thehackernews.com. Publication date: Mon, 23 Jan 2023 18:57:29 +0000

Cyber News related to WhatsApp Hit with €55 Million Fine for Privacy Violations

WhatsApp Hit with €55 Million Fine for Privacy Violations - WhatsApp is facing an €55 million privacy-related fine from the European Union’s data protection authority for allegedly violating the region's data protection laws. ...
2 years ago Thehackernews.com

WhatsApp's new Advanced Chat Privacy protects sensitive messages - "Today we're introducing our latest layer for privacy called 'Advanced Chat Privacy.' This new setting available in both chats and groups helps prevent others from taking content outside of WhatsApp for when you may want extra privacy," WhatsApp ...
1 month ago Bleepingcomputer.com

Privacy Education for Students: A Vital Curriculum Component - Recognizing privacy as a fundamental right, educators are increasingly acknowledging the importance of integrating privacy education into the curriculum. This article explores the significance of privacy education for students and its role as a vital ...
1 year ago Securityzap.com

Italian Data Protection Authority Fines WhatsApp €5.5 Million - The Italian Data Protection Authority (DPA) has fined WhatsApp €5.5 million as a result of violations of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). ...
2 years ago Securityaffairs.com

WhatsApp Fined €5.5 Million for Enforcing Data Processing Update - Heimdal Security recently reported that WhatsApp, the world’s most popular messaging service, has been fined €5.5 million by the Italian Data Protection Authority (GPDR) for violating user privacy. According to the report, the WhatsApp ...
2 years ago Heimdalsecurity.com

Privacy Isn't Dead. Far From It. - EFF is one of dozens, if not hundreds, of organizations that work to protect privacy. Millions of people read EFF's website each year, and tens of millions use the tools we've made, like Privacy Badger. Privacy is one of EFF's biggest concerns, and ...
1 year ago Eff.org

NSO Group fined $167M for spyware attacks on 1,400 WhatsApp users - Meta filed the lawsuit against NSO Group on October 29, 2019, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that NSO had exploited a vulnerability in WhatsApp's calling feature to deliver its Pegasus spyware to ...
3 weeks ago Bleepingcomputer.com CVE-2019-3568

Holistic Approach To Privacy and Security in Tech - In this article, I would like to explain how I tackle privacy and security issues that are specific for large scale web and mobile applications and Big Tech. First, let's outline some of the biggest challenges Big Tech companies deal with in terms of ...
1 year ago Feeds.dzone.com

Building a Privacy-Centric Organization with FireMon - As organizations increasingly rely on technology to streamline operations and connect with customers, the need for robust privacy measures has become more critical than ever. Here at FireMon, we play a pivotal role in building a privacy-centric ...
1 year ago Securityboulevard.com

Enhancing Home Privacy with Technology: Your Digital Shield - In an ever-evolving world, technology has become increasingly integral to home privacy. Smart lock systems, video doorbells, motion sensors, security cameras, and automated privacy settings are some of the popular home privacy tech options available. ...
1 year ago Securityzap.com Meow

Protecting Student Privacy Online - In the rapidly evolving world of online education, the protection of student privacy has emerged as a critical concern. This article delves into the privacy risks associated with online education and highlights the significance of complying with ...
1 year ago Securityzap.com

WhatsApp's Meta AI is now rolling out in Europe, and it can't be turned off - The chatbot built into WhatsApp is not as powerful as Meta AI's web app, but it can answer your questions, reply with a large chunk of text, share links from Bing, and even create images. On March 19, WhatsApp owner Meta announced that a variety ...
2 months ago Bleepingcomputer.com

US Jury Orders NSO Group to Pay $168 Million to WhatsApp - Meta hailed the verdict as a milestone for digital privacy and security, stating, “Today’s verdict in the WhatsApp case marks a significant advancement for privacy and security, representing the first triumph against the creation and utilization ...
3 weeks ago Cybersecuritynews.com

WhatsApp's new Secret Code feature hides your locked chats - WhatsApp has introduced a new Secret Code feature that allows users to hide their locked chats by setting a custom password. After it reaches your device, you can set a code specifically for securing locked chats independent from the device unlock ...
1 year ago Bleepingcomputer.com

Business Data Privacy Laws: Compliance and Beyond - Governments worldwide have implemented strict data privacy laws to protect individuals' information in the face of increasing cyber threats and data breaches. Let's dive into the world of business data privacy laws as we navigate the complexities of ...
1 year ago Securityzap.com

Thought GDPR Compliance Was Hard? Buckle Up - COMMENTARY. Five years since the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation took effect, its fingerprints are everywhere: from proliferating privacy laws worldwide to the now-ubiquitous consent banners seen across websites of every kind. For ...
1 year ago Darkreading.com Patchwork

WhatsApp flaw can let attackers run malicious code on Windows PCs - On January 31, after mitigating the security issue server-side, WhatsApp alerted roughly 90 Android users from over two dozen countries, including Italian journalists and activists who were targeted in Paragon spyware attacks using the zero-click ...
1 month ago Bleepingcomputer.com CVE-2025-30401

TikTok fined €530 million for sending European user data to China - The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined TikTok €530 million (over $601 million) for illegally transferring the personal data of users in the European Economic Area (EEA) to China, violating the European Union's GDPR data protection ...
4 weeks ago Bleepingcomputer.com

What CISOs Need to Know About Data Privacy in 2024 - While consumers continue to demand stronger personal data protections, companies are scrambling to keep track of an ever-evolving patchwork of applicable laws and regulations. In this environment, cybersecurity professionals need to understand the ...
1 year ago Cybersecurity-insiders.com Patchwork

WhatsApp Beta Testing Expanded Authentication Methods for App Lock Feature - In a world where privacy and security are increasingly important, WhatsApp continues to prioritize the protection of user data through encrypted messaging. Recently, the app has been testing a new label to highlight chat encryption, further ...
1 year ago Cysecurity.news

Jury orders NSO Group to pay $168 million to WhatsApp for facilitating Pegasus hacks of its users | The Record from Recorded Future News - NSO’s case was severely hampered by its inability to offer the court any details of its clients' aims in the attacks, prompting Northern California federal judge Phyllis Hamilton to bar the spyware firm from presenting any evidence related to ...
3 weeks ago Therecord.media

Transcend enhances its privacy platform to address current and future compliance challenges - Transcend announced an expansion of its product suite-going even further to help the world's best brands manage complex privacy compliance challenges. Powering privacy for Fortune 100 companies, the global 2000s, and high-growth start-ups, Transcend ...
1 year ago Helpnetsecurity.com

Privacy Badger Puts You in Control of Widgets - The latest version of Privacy Badger replaces embedded tweets with click-to-activate placeholders. This is part of Privacy Badger's widget replacement feature, where certain potentially useful widgets are blocked and then replaced with placeholders. ...
1 year ago Eff.org

WhatsApp’s New Advanced Chat Privacy Feature to Protect Sensitive Conversations - Available for both one-on-one and group chats, Advanced Chat Privacy empowers users to block others from exporting chat histories, automatically downloading shared media, and using messages for AI features. While Advanced Chat Privacy significantly ...
1 month ago Cybersecuritynews.com

My Yearly Look Back, a Look Forward and a Warning - 2023 saw cybersecurity and privacy law arrive at a crossroads, especially with regard to the regulatory landscape. This is the time of year when it is traditional to look back at the past year and extrapolate forward to make predictions for the year ...
1 year ago Securityboulevard.com