EU top court to rule on Metadata protection case
Foreign
THE European Union’s top court is expected to rule on Friday in a case brought against Facebook’s parent company Meta over its handling of personal user data.
The judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg are to clarify to what extent personal data, including a user’s sexual orientation, may be used for advertising purposes.
The case was brought by Austrian data protection activist Max Schrems, who has already won two major legal disputes against Facebook which transformed data exchange between the U.S. and the EU.
In the current case, Schrems had filed a complaint with an Austrian court about Facebook’s handling of his personal information including his sexual orientation.
The Austrian Supreme Court called on the judges in Luxembourg to interpret the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Meta collects digital data of Facebook users when they visit other websites and apps, which allows Meta to gather information to personalise advertising.
Under the GDPR, companies are obliged to adhere to the principle of data minimisation, restricting the amount and duration of data used for advertising purposes.
In addition, information about a user’s sexual orientation is subject to special protection under GDPR.
Schrems, who had publicly spoken about his homosexuality at an event, complained about Facebook’s use of this information for personalised advertising, as well as other personal data without time restriction. (dpa/NAN)
4th October, 2024.
C.E.
Related Posts
ECOWAS Court orders Togo to pay CFA5m damages to citizen
ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the Togolese government to pay five million CFA Francs damages to its citizen, Mr...
Read MoreWhy Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby resigned
JUSTIN Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury the most senior leader in the Church of England, has resigned over his handling of...
Read MoreKing Charles hosts Bahrain’s king at Windsor amid criticism of visit
KING Charles III has hosted Bahrain’s sovereign at Windsor Castle amid calls from human rights campaigners for the release of...
Read MoreMost Read
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Keep abreast of news and other developments from our website.