DPC Launches Investigation Into Facebook Users Personal Data Made Available On Internet

Data Protection Commission (DPC) On Wednesday launched an own-volition inquiry into Facebook in relation to multiple international media reports which claim that a collated dataset of Facebook user personal data had been made available on the internet.

The inquiry in accordance with section 110 of the Data Protection Act 2018 will investigate the reported dataset claimed to contain personal data and made available on the internet by Facebook.

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According to a press release by the Commission, the dataset was reported to contain personal data relating to approximately 533 million Facebook users worldwide. The DPC engaged with Facebook Ireland in relation to this reported issue, raising queries in relation to GDPR compliance to which Facebook Ireland furnished a number of responses.

The DPC, having considered the information provided by Facebook Ireland regarding this matter to date, is of the opinion that one or more provisions of the GDPR and/or the Data Protection Act 2018 may have been, and/or are being, infringed in relation to Facebook Users’ personal data.

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The Commission stated that “it considers it appropriate to determine whether Facebook Ireland has complied with its obligations, as data controller, in connection with the processing of personal data of its users by means of the Facebook Search, Facebook Messenger Contact Importer and Instagram Contact Importer features of its service, or whether any provision(s) of the GDPR and/or the Data Protection Act 2018 have been, and/or are being, infringed by Facebook in this respect.”