Meta Fined €479M by Spanish Court Over Data Violations!
Reported by Marian Opeyemi Fasesan | Sele Media Africa
A Spanish court has ordered tech giant Meta to pay a staggering €479 million in fines to Spanish media outlets for unfair competition and repeated data privacy violations between 2018 and 2023.
“Meta exploited user data without proper consent and undermined local journalism through anti-competitive practices,” the court ruling stated.
Key Details:
- The case was brought by the Spanish Association of Newspaper Publishers (AEDE), accusing Meta of profiting from news content without fair compensation.
- The court found Meta guilty of violating GDPR provisions and engaging in data practices that harmed competition.
- The €479 million fine includes penalties and damages to affected media houses.
Why It Matters:
- Marks one of the largest fines imposed on Meta in Europe.
- Signals growing European regulatory pressure on tech giants over privacy and media fairness.
- Reinforces calls for ethical data use and content compensation models globally.
What to Watch:
- Meta’s appeal — the company is expected to challenge the ruling.
- Possible ripple effects across other EU nations with similar concerns.
- Policy reforms on data sharing and digital advertising.
Sources:
- El País – “Meta Condemned in Historic Data Privacy Case”
- Reuters – “Spain Fines Meta €479M for GDPR, Competition Breaches”
- Court of Madrid – Judgment Summary, Nov. 2025
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