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Meta has been ban from launch feature on Facebook and Instagram that would have collected data on voter in Spain using the social net ahead of next month ’s European Elections .
The local data aegis authority , the AEPD , has used emergency powers to protect local users ’ privateness . Meta confirmed to TechCrunch it has comply with the order , which can last for up to three month .
In astatementabout the “ precautional measure ” , the AEPD write it has ordered Meta to debar implementation of Election Day Information and Voter Information Unit feature in Spain — barring “ the collection and processing of data implied by their use ” as it puts it ( the affirmation was translate from Spanish ) .
The AEPD is using exigency tycoon contained in Europe ’s General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) to act as on local worry . Meta ’s lead data protection supervisory for the GDPR is Ireland ’s Data Protection Commission but the pan - EU regularisation empowers any datum trade protection bureau to play where they see urgent risk of infection to users in their own territory .
“ This decisiveness is based on exceptional circumstances , in which it is necessary to take up measures to avoid the collection of data , the profiling of exploiter and the transferee of info to third parties , thus foreclose personal data point from being used by unknown controllers and for intention not explicit , ” the AEPD wrote .
The Spanish DPA is concerned that Meta ’s planned election - related features would break the GDPR , include in relation to the lawfulness of processing and datum minimisation necessary .
Political survey are sort out as “ special category ” data under the pan - EU regulating — which demand a higher stripe of incur denotative consent from the user for processing .
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Per the AEPD , Meta intend to work personal data including user name , IP speech , geezerhood and gender and selective information about how the substance abuser interact with the election - come to functionalities . “ The Agency turn over that the collection and conservation of data point planned by the ship’s company would seriously put at risk the rights and freedom of Instagram and Facebook user , who would see an increase in the volume of selective information that it collects about them , allowing the creation of more complex , detailed and exhaustive profiles , generating more intrusive treatments , ” it wrote .
“ Making data that could be personal in nature available to third party would postulate a disproportionate interference in the rights and exemption of the interested parties . This loss of ascendance represents a high risk of exposure that these data point will be used by unknown controllers and for non - explicit purpose , ” the federal agency supply .
Meta was contact for a response to the AEPD ’s activity . Spokesman Matthew Pollard sent us this statement : “ Our election tool have been expressly designed to respect drug user ’ privacy and comply with the GDPR . While we disagree with the AEPD ’s assessment in this showcase , we have cooperate with their request . ”
The Spanish DPA say Meta has been planning to launch the election - have-to doe with features it is stop for all exploiter of its services with the right to vote in the European elections except Italy , where the data auspices potency already has an open procedure on this matter . We ’ve contacted the Garante with questions .
Back in 2022 , the Italian DPA also used an urgency procedure to bespeak information from Meta related to measures it was get hold of around the land ’s general election .
Meta is also under scrutiny by the European Commission in recounting to its preparation for the upcoming EU elections early next month . Back in Aprilthe Commission opened an investigation of Facebook and Instagram under the bloc ’s Digital Services Act , say it suspect the program of breaking the election integrity ruler for larger political program .
