Facebook and Google Face $8.8 Billion Lawsuits on First Day of New EU Data Laws

Facebook and Google face lawsuits of up to $8.8 billion on the first day of new GDPR EU data laws, according to a report.

The Verge reported that the two companies were hit “with a raft of lawsuits” accusing them of “coercing users into sharing personal data.”

“The lawsuits, which seek to fine Facebook 3.9 billion and Google 3.7 billion euro (roughly $8.8 billion dollars), were filed by Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems, a longtime critic of the companies’ data collection practices,” they reported, adding, “GDPR requires clear consent and justification for any personal data collected from users, and these guidelines have pushed companies across the internet to revise their privacy policies and collection practices.”

“Both Google and Facebook have rolled out new policies and products to comply with GDPR, but Schrems’ complaints argue those policies don’t go far enough,” the Verge explained. “In particular, the complaint singles out the way companies obtain consent for the privacy policies, asking users to check a box in order to access services. It’s a widespread practice for online services, but the complaints argue that it forces users into an all-or-nothing choice, a violation of the GDPR’s provisions around particularized consent.”

Facebook responded to the new GDPR regulations by moving data from Ireland to the United States, while some American websites blocked European visitors as they struggled to keep up with the new laws.