Facebook’s User Data Collection May Be Restricted in Germany

• Germany’s Federal Cartel Office is set to regulate how Facebook collects user data.
• Failing to abide by the regulations can lead to fines up to $11.5 million.
• The regulation may change how Facebook collects user data worldwide.

Facebook has been called out for its data collection practices by a number of government bodies, but a regulation that is set to be implemented in Germany can change how the social media company collects user data worldwide. Germany’s Federal Cartel Office will restrict the type of data Facebook collects from the country’s users in the coming weeks.

The new legislation will control how Facebook shares private user data with third parties, and that includes WhatsApp and Instagram, which are the social media giant’s own subsidiaries. A deadline has not been decided by the government body, but it is likely that Facebook will be offered time to change its data collection and usage policies. Failing to abide by the regulations will lead to the social media company being fined up to $11.5 million.

The legislation was first reported by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper who was told by a Facebook official that they do not agree with the new legislation and will be defending their stance on data collection. The social media company believes that they do not misuse data in any way. Even though the new legislation is set in Germany, the social media platform may have to change its approach to data collection worldwide.

Prior to Germany’s move, Facebook has been caught in a string of data collection and misuse controversies with third-parties like Cambridge Analytica selling private user data. A number of other data leaks and breaches have marred the social media platform’s reputation over the past two years as well, and users are concerned about their personal information more than ever. It remains to be seen if the social media company is able to successfully defend its stance against Germany’s Federal Cartel Office in the coming weeks.

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