Meta Hit With $552 Million Fine In Spain Over Ad Practices
Meta Platforms has been fined $552 million by a Madrid court for unfairly using personal data to dominate Spain's online ad market, violating EU GDPR and Spain's antitrust laws. Meta plans to appeal, calling the ruling baseless. This comes amid a government investigation into Meta's privacy practices, signaling Spain's tougher stance on data handling by tech giants.
Meta Platforms is facing fresh pressure in Spain after a Madrid court ordered the company to pay $552 million (479 million) to 87 digital media outlets. Judges ruled that Meta unfairly used personal data to strengthen its position in the country's online ad market, particularly through targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram.
According to the court, this gave Meta a competitive edge that smaller publishers couldn't match and crossed the line on both EU GDPR rules and Spain's antitrust laws. Meta strongly disagreed with that assessment, calling the ruling baseless and insisting there's no proof that any outlet was harmed. The company said it already provides users with clear privacy tools and confirmed it plans to appeal.
The decision also comes at an awkward moment for Meta. Just a day earlier, Spain's prime minister announced a government investigation into the company over alleged privacy violations affecting millions of users.
Spain is signaling a tougher stance on how tech giants handle data, and rulings like this could influence Meta's broader European playbook. Meta's appeal and the government's new probe will shape what comes next.
