Belgium to take Facebook to court over privacy settings

Belgium's privacy watchdog is taking US social media giant Facebook to court for allegedly breaching Belgian and European law by tracking user's online activity without asking for their consent.

Facebook, which is based in California and has an estimated 1.44 billion global monthly users, is in an ongoing privacy dispute with EU regulators over its handling of users' private data. Facebook has previously claimed that the jurisdiction of European watchdogs to dictate its privacy policy is unclear because the company is registered in the US.

Now, however, Belgium's Commission for the Protection of Privacy (CPP) has decided to take Facebook to court, asking for an immediate order to ban the site, Flemish newspaper De Morgen reported yesterday.

Speaking to the paper, the CPP's chairman Willem Debeuckelaere accused Facebook of making a mockery of Europe and Belgium's privacy laws by tracking users in a manner of ways by default, requiring them to opt out if they want to keep some of their activity private.

According to Debeuckelaere the CPP found in March that Facebook can track anyone who visits its site, be they a member or not, to subsequent sites they visit. The commission's decision to seek legal action comes after Facebook did not provide the watchdog with "satisfactory answers".

Last month the CPP also issued a recommendation for internet users to install tools which could protect them from giving Facebook access to data which they 'like' or 'share' through Facebook plug-ins on other sites.

"Even people who specifically indicate that they do not want to be tracked are still tracked," Debeuckelaere told De Morgen.

Facebook argues that "there is no merit" to the CPP's case and has condemned the commission's "theatrical action," according to EU news source Euobserver.

There is an ongoing discussion between EU governments to form a more united online privacy policy. Ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss creating a joint EU privacy watchdog yesterday.

Europe has recently been brought into conflict with various tech giants. EU competition authorities are currently probing e-commerce giants Amazon and Apple over low tax deals with Luxembourg and Ireland while a year ago the EU's highest court ruled that Google had to change its policy and comply with a piece of Spanish legislation, forcing its Spanish division to work in accordance with Spanish law.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


I am a Staff Writer for Newsweek's international desk. I report on current events in Russia, the former Soviet Union ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go