South Korea has levied tens of millions of dollars in fines on Alphabet’s Google and Meta Platforms for privacy law violations.
The Personal Information Protection Commission said it fined Google 69.2 billion won ($50 million) and Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) 30.8 billion won ($22 million).
The privacy panel said Google and Meta Platforms did not clearly inform service users and obtain their prior consent when collecting and analyzing behavioral information to infer their interests or use them for customized advertisements.
“We disagree with the PIPC’s findings, and will be reviewing the full written decision once it’s shared with us,” a Google spokesperson said.
“We’ve always demonstrated our commitment to making ongoing updates that give users control and transparency, while providing the most helpful products possible. We remain committed to engaging with the PIPC to protect the privacy of South Korean users.”
A Meta spokesperson said: “While we respect the commission’s decision, we are confident that we work with our clients in a legally compliant way that meets the processes required by local regulations. As such, we do not agree with the commission’s decision, and will be open to all options including seeking a ruling from the court.”
