Austrian DSB Declares Meta Tracking Tools Illegal
In a ruling based on one of NOYB’s 101 complaints, the Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) has declared that Facebook’s tracking pixel violates the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the latest European Court of Justice (CJEU) decision on transatlantic data flows. This judgement also includes Meta’s “Facebook Login” and “Meta Pixel” tools. Though. it remains to be seen whether DSB will impose penalties for this breach.
This practice, in which Facebook’s technology is used to track visitors and showcase tailored ads, results in the handing over of user data to the American multinational and consequently, the NSA. The situation remains unresolved for now since the US still permits bulk surveillance, despite the European Commission’s attempt to ratify a third EU-US data transfer agreement.
Therefore, it is strongly advised that website operators within the EU refrain from integrating any of Meta’s instruments into their sites. Unfortunately, countless sites currently employ Facebook technology to trace users and provide customized advertisements.
Source: Austrian DSB: Meta Tracking Tools Illegal
