- Europe, like you've never read before -
Saturday, 17 May 2025
No Result
View All Result
  • it ITA
  • en ENG
Eunews
  • Politics
  • World
  • Business
  • News
  • Defence
  • Net & Tech
  • Agrifood
  • Other sections
    • Culture
    • Diritti
    • Energy
    • Green Economy
    • Finance & Insurance
    • Industry & Markets
    • Media
    • Mobility & Logistics
    • Sports
  • Newsletter
  • European 2024
    Eunews
    • Politics
    • World
    • Business
    • News
    • Defence
    • Net & Tech
    • Agrifood
    • Other sections
      • Culture
      • Diritti
      • Energy
      • Green Economy
      • Finance & Insurance
      • Industry & Markets
      • Media
      • Mobility & Logistics
      • Sports
    No Result
    View All Result
    Eunews
    No Result
    View All Result

    Home » Net & Tech » Personal data, EU Court of Justice verdict: Meta cannot store them without time limits and users’ explicit consent

    Personal data, EU Court of Justice verdict: Meta cannot store them without time limits and users’ explicit consent

    According to CJEU judges, Meta's processing and storage of user data does not comply with the "minimization" principle imposed by the GDPR

    Francesco Bortoletto</a> <a class="social twitter" href="https://twitter.com/bortoletto_f" target="_blank">bortoletto_f</a> by Francesco Bortoletto bortoletto_f
    4 October 2024
    in Net & Tech
    Meta

    Il quartier generale di Meta

    Brussels –  Digital platforms cannot use personal data for advertising without restriction as to time and without distinction as to the type of data. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the EU’s highest court, today (Oct. 4) established this in a case brought by Austrian activist Maximilian Schrems in 2020. The issue, in essence, was whether or not Meta (the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp) breached the EU regulation on data processing (General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR), which the US giant collects extensively to sell to advertisers.

    In the end, the CJEU judges agreed with Schrems, a well-known privacy activist, following the (non-binding) opinion expressed in April by the Court’s Advocate General, Athanasios Rantos, who had sided with the plaintiff. In the case at hand, the CJEU ruled that platforms are not allowed to use data about users obtained externally or from third parties, not even in cases where they have been made public by the users. Specifically, the fact that Schrems had spoken about his sexual orientation at a public event (offline) does not allow Meta to process this data “with a view to aggregating and analyzing those data, in order to offer him personalized advertising” unless he had explicitly consented to its processing by the social network – consent that was instead convincingly denied.

    In short, platforms can only use data that users disclose directly, and the processing of which is expressly authorized. In addition to this, the Court also reiterated that a social network “cannot use personal data obtained for the purposes of targeted advertising, without restriction as to time and without distinction as to type of data.” That is to say, data collected by platforms in compliance with the GDPR have an expiration date, especially particularly sensitive ones – such as those concerning sexual orientation, religious profession, political beliefs, and so on.

    Katharina Raabe-Stuppnig, Schrems’ lawyer, said she was “very pleased with the ruling,” even though widely expected. “Meta has been building an enormous pool of user data for 20 years, which is growing by the day,” she said, noting that this stands in open conflict with European law that requires so-called “data minimization,” meaning the collection, processing, and storage only of data that is truly indispensable for a well-defined purpose.  The CJEU’s decision, which will apply to all online advertising companies, effectively strengthens the regulatory framework introduced by the GDPR.

    After all, it is not the first time the Austrian activist has won judicial victories against Meta. In two separate trials in 2013 and 2018, Schrems successfully challenged user data transfer agreements between the EU and the United States.

    English version by the Translation Service of Withub
    Tags: eu court of justiceeu court of justicegdprmaximilian schremsmetapersonal data protections

    Related Posts

    (credits: Josh Edelson / Afp)
    Net & Tech

    EU Commission requests from Meta information on data accessibility

    16 August 2024
    Meta
    Net & Tech

    EU Commission ready to hit Meta. ‘Pay or agree’ model violates DMA

    1 July 2024
    map visualization
    Flourish logoA Flourish map
    Zelensky Rama von der Leyen

    European leaders convene in Tirana, but think of Istanbul

    by Francesco Bortoletto bortoletto_f
    16 May 2025

    At the Albanian summit of the European Political Community, talks about the continent's future in security, economy, and migration. Focus...

    L'assemblea della Repubblica è il Parlamento del Portogallo [foto:

    Portugal between new elections and new uncertainties

    by Emanuele Bonini emanuelebonini
    16 May 2025

    The country on the ballot Sunday for the third time since 2022 seeks stability that polls do not anticipate. Risk...

    elezioni polonia

    Poland’s presidential election a crucial test for Tusk’s pro-European government

    by Simone De La Feld @SimoneDeLaFeld1
    16 May 2025

    Polish citizens to the polls on Sunday to name a successor to conservative Andrzej Duda. Tusk-backed candidate Rafal Trzaskowski is...

    Nicusor Dan George Simion

    Romania: high-tension runoff between George Simion and Nicușor Dan

    by Francesco Bortoletto bortoletto_f
    16 May 2025

    On Sunday, May 18, the leader of the nationalist ultra-right and the pro-EU independent candidate will compete in the polls...

    • Director’s Point of View
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Opinions
    • About us
    • Contacts
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie policy

    Eunews is a registered newspaper
    Press Register of the Court of Turin n° 27


     

    Copyright © 2025 - WITHUB S.p.a., Via Rubens 19 - 20148 Milan
    VAT number: 10067080969 - ROC registration number n.30628
    Fully paid-up share capital 50.000,00€

     

    No Result
    View All Result
    • it ITA
    • en ENG
    • Newsletter
    • Politics
    • World politics
    • Business
    • General News
    • Defence & Security
    • Net & Tech
    • Agrifood
    • Altre sezioni
      • European Agenda
      • Culture
      • Diritti
      • Energy
      • Green Economy
      • Gallery
      • Finance & Insurance
      • Industry & Markets
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Media
      • Mobility & Logistics
      • News
      • Opinions
      • Sports
    • Director's Point of View
    • L’Europa come non l’avete mai ascoltata
    • Draghi Report
    • Eventi
    • Eunews Newsletter

    No Result
    View All Result
    • it ITA
    • en ENG
    • Newsletter
    • Politics
    • World politics
    • Business
    • General News
    • Defence & Security
    • Net & Tech
    • Agrifood
    • Altre sezioni
      • European Agenda
      • Culture
      • Diritti
      • Energy
      • Green Economy
      • Gallery
      • Finance & Insurance
      • Industry & Markets
      • Letters to the Editor
      • Media
      • Mobility & Logistics
      • News
      • Opinions
      • Sports
    • Director's Point of View
    • L’Europa come non l’avete mai ascoltata
    • Draghi Report
    • Eventi
    • Eunews Newsletter

    Attention