S.Korea fines Google, Meta over $71M for breaching personal information law

ANKARA (AA) – South Korean authorities on Wednesday fined Google and Meta, formerly known as Facebook, 100 billion won (approximately $71.9 million) for breaching the country’s personal information law, local media said.

The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) met in Seoul to hear the case against the digital giants and announced a huge fine on Google and Meta for collecting personal information without users’ consent and using it for personalized online advertising and other purposes, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The commission fined Google 69.2 billion won and Meta 30.8 billion won.

This is the first time that the commission has imposed such a huge fine on allegations of breaching the country’s personal information protection.

The commission also ordered the digital giants to obtain users’ permission whenever they gather their personal information.

Meanwhile, Google and Meta both expressed regret over the decision and said they will continue to talk with authorities, including through a legal fight, according to the agency.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid