FCCPC imposes monetary penalty of $220M on Meta
By Abimbola Mohammed
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said its imposing fine of $220 million on Meta the parent company of Whatsapp, Facebook and Thread for sharing users’ data without permission.
According to the commission, Meta parties’ violated the Federal Competition Protection Act (FCCPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
This was made know on the FCCPC verified handle on X (Twitter) while stating that the claim of WhatsApp that it may forcefully exit Nigeria due to the order, is a move to influence the public.
In a latest development, FCCPC stated that its $220 million penalty on WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta Platforms Incorporated, is a positive step toward a fairer digital market in Nigeria.
Disclosing this via its X page, which represents the commission’s latest comments on the operation of social media giants in Nigeria, FCCPC noted that any claim by WhatsApp that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to the recent order, appears to be a strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and potentially pressuring the consumer protection body to reconsider its decision.
“WhatsApp’s claim that it may be forced to exit Nigeria due to FCCPC’s recent order appears to be a strategic move aimed at influencing public opinion and potentially pressuring the FCCPC to reconsider its decision.”
FCCPC had earlier ordered WhatsApp to stop sharing user data with Facebook companies and third parties without explicit consent, provide information on data collection, and restore user control over data usage.
The commission following a comprehensive 38-month investigation into its data privacy practices and market behaviour said Meta parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCP and NDPR.
This infringement included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.
The post reads: “The Commission found that Meta Parties engaged in multiple and repeated infringements of the FCCPA and the NDPR. These infringements included denying Nigerians the right to control their personal data, transferring and sharing Nigerian user data without authorisation, discriminating against Nigerian users compared to users in other jurisdictions and abusing their dominant market position by forcing unfair privacy policies.”
The final order requires Meta Parties to take steps to comply with Nigerian law, stop exploiting Nigerian consumers, change their practices to meet Nigerian standards and respect consumer rights.
To deter future violations and ensure accountability for the alleged infringements the FCCPC also imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million.
The FCCPC’s actions are based on legitimate concerns about consumer protection and data privacy and the order is a positive step towards a fairer digital market in Nigeria. Similar measures are taken in other jurisdictions without forcing companies to leave the market. The case of Nigeria will not be different.
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