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The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has fined US-based social media platforms Meta and WhatsApp $220 million for discriminatory practices and other violations.
The Deputy Executive Chairman of the Commission, Adamu Abdullahi disclosed this at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said it took three years of intensive investigation for the FCCPC to come to that decision.
Abdullahi said the companies were also found guilty of denying Nigerians their right to self-determination, transferring and disseminating personal data without permission, which is not common practice in other countries.
The FCCPC chief noted that Meta and WhatsApp give data subjects elsewhere the choice to decide whether or not their data will be shared.
He said: “Just last week, the FCCPC issued a final order and imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million against Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp LLC for discriminatory practices in Nigeria.
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“This is an investigation that has been going on for the last three years, and I have been a part of it.
“We found that when you first sign up to join WhatsApp, there is a field that states that you have consented to your data being shared for research.
“It’s different from other climates where you have the choice to say yes or no. It’s discriminatory to begin with.
“Second, we found that they were sharing our data across multiple platforms.”
He said the commission had won international praise for its investigations and sanctions.
“We have received international praise because finally there is a competition authority in Africa that is challenging all anti-competitive practices carried out by multinational institutions,” Abdullahi added.
By: Babajide Okeowo
Nigerian government fines Meta and WhatsApp $220 million for discriminatory practices first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.
