WhatsApp has revealed that its parent company, Meta, plans to appeal the $220 million fine imposed by the federal government for violating Nigeria’s data privacy laws.
News About Nigeria reported that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) announced the fine in a statement on Friday.
Reacting to the decision, WhatsApp expressed disagreement with the fine and confirmed that Meta would appeal the ruling.
“We disagree with the decision today as well as the fine, and Meta will be appealing the decision. In 2021, we explained to users globally how talking to businesses, among other things, would work. While there was a lot of confusion then, it has actually proven quite popular,” WhatsApp stated in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday.
The FCCPC initiated its investigation into Meta in May 2021, based on evidence suggesting the company had breached the FCCPA 2018 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.
These regulations were effective before the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 came into force.
Meta cooperated with the investigation, providing requested documents and information.
Representatives and legal counsel from Meta engaged with the FCCPC and the NDPC, meeting with investigators and analysts as recently as April 4, 2024.
The investigation revealed that Meta had engaged in abusive and invasive practices towards Nigerian data consumers, including collecting personal data without consent and implementing discriminatory practices against Nigerians.
Meta Platforms, Inc., based in Menlo Park, California, is an American multinational technology conglomerate that owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, among other products and services.
