High Court rejects Meta challenge to possible €430m data fine

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Meta has lost its High Court challenge to the Data Protection Commission’s draft decision proposing fines of €360 million to €430 million and corrective measures following a complaint about access to personal data held in Meta’s “Hive” digital warehouse. Justice Siobhán Phelan rejected all grounds of Meta’s case. The complaint was made in 2018 by a Facebook user who said data remained unsent after Meta provided online tools to download account information.

Meta argued that the commission exceeded its powers by considering wider data-access practices during an inquiry prompted by one person’s complaint. The court held that complaint-based inquiries can address systemic issues and lead to measures affecting the wider user base, including administrative fines. The judge dismissed the case; final orders are to be made later.