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South Korean Regulators Fine Meta $15 Million Over Data Privacy Breach
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Regulators are asking Meta $15.68 million in fines over illegal actions with users’ data
- South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission performed a 4-year investigation
- Meta allegedly used private data from 980,000 Facebook users and sold it to over 4,000 advertisers
South Korean Regulators requested Meta to pay 21.62 billion won—around $15.68 million—in fines for illegally sharing users’ private information.
According to ABC News , South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission performed a 4-year investigation—from July 2018 to March 2022—and revealed that Meta illegally collected private information from 980,000 Facebook users and shared this data with over 4,000 advertisers.
It’s not the first time an organization has revealed that Meta has shared users’ private data for advertising. The American marketing firm Cox Media Group recently admitted to getting user data from multiple tech companies including Meta.
The information gathered by Meta South Korea included political views, religion, same-sex unions, and more. The privacy laws in South Korea forbid sharing private information like sexual behavior, political views, and beliefs without the person’s consent.
Lee Eun Jung, a commission director who led the investigation on Meta, said Meta had categories according to users’ interests and the ads they clicked on on the platform.
“While Meta collected this sensitive information and used it for individualized services, they made only vague mentions of this use in their data policy and did not obtain specific consent,” Lee said.
Lee also criticized Meta’s security measures and accused them of putting users at risk by not taking basic actions like removing inactive pages.
South Korea is not the only country going against Meta’s lack of protection towards its users these past few days. Last week, Brazil sued Meta —and other platforms—for not preventing addiction issues in minors.
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Rare Bee Discovery Halts Meta’s Nuclear-Powered AI Data Center Plans
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Competitors Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have secured nuclear energy deals for data centers.
- Critics warn about toxic waste risks associated with nuclear power.
- Meta continues to seek carbon-free energy options despite setbacks.
Plans by Meta to construct a nuclear-powered AI data center in the U.S. have been hindered by the discovery of a rare bee species on the proposed site, as reported on Monday by the Financial Times (FT).
The project aimed to secure emissions-free electricity from an existing nuclear power plant operator to support the company’s AI initiatives. However, complications arose from environmental and regulatory hurdles, particularly following the identification of the endangered bee species near the planned location, as noted by the FT.
During a recent all-hands meeting, Zuckerberg indicated that this finding significantly complicated the project, potentially delaying or derailing the plans altogether.
Dozens of bee species in the US are classified as at-risk or endangered , making it challenging to identify which specific species led to the setback of Meta’s project and the location of the discovery, as reported by Popular Science (PS).
Notably, an AI query can use up to ten times the energy of a standard Google search, highlighting the necessity for dependable power sources, as reported by the FT. PS estimates that a single AI-powered search query requires as much energy as keeping a light bulb on for 20 minutes.
The UN reports that AI poses significant environmental challenges due to its reliance on data centers. These facilities require vast amounts of raw materials for electronics, contribute to hazardous electronic waste, consume large quantities of water for cooling, and demand substantial energy, primarily sourced from fossil fuels.
“There is still much we don’t know about the environmental impact of AI but some of the data we do have is concerning,” said Golestan Radwan, the Chief Digital Officer of the United Nations Environment Programme. “We need to make sure the net effect of AI on the planet is positive before we deploy the technology at scale,” he added.
Despite this setback, Meta continues to explore alternative agreements for carbon-free energy, including nuclear options.
Although nuclear power is viewed as a stable energy source crucial for the ongoing competition among tech giants, it faces challenges, including high upfront costs and lengthy construction timelines. Critics also raise concerns about the safe disposal of toxic radioactive waste, as noted by the FT.
Zuckerberg, facing pressure from investors to demonstrate the viability of Meta’s AI investments, expressed frustration over the limited nuclear energy options in the U.S., particularly as China accelerates its nuclear power initiatives, as noted by the FT.
Had the Meta deal proceeded, it would have made the company the first major tech firm to utilize nuclear power for AI data operations, as reported by the FT.
