Irish watchdog fines WhatsApp $267M after EU privacy probe
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By KELVIN CHAN
AP Business Writer
LONDON (AP) — Ireland’s privacy watchdog has fined WhatsApp 225 million euros ($267 million) for breaching stringent European Union data protection rules. The Data Protection Commission said Thursday that it was also ordering WhatsApp to take “remedial actions” so that its data processing complies with the EU rules. WhatsApp said the fine was out of proportion and it would appeal the decision. The watchdog’s announcement wraps up an investigation into the Facebook-owned messaging service that opened in December 2018. Under GDPR, the Irish watchdog acts as the lead regulator in cross-border data privacy cases for WhatsApp and many other big tech companies that have their European headquarters in Dublin.