By Press Association and Cheyenne Macdonald For Dailymail.com
Published: 11:36 GMT, 7 February 2019 | Updated: 19:26 GMT, 7 February 2019
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German anti-trust authorities have ruled against Facebook over its methods of combining user data from different sources, including WhatsApp and Instagram.
The Federal Cartel Office, or Bundeskartellamt said the firm was exploiting its position as a dominant social media company in violation of European regulations.
Facebook, however, says this is not the case.
In a statement issued after the ruling, Facebook said its data use is in compliance with GDPR and is intended to ‘protect people’s safety and security.’
German anti-trust authorities have ruled against Facebook over its methods of combining user data from different sources, including WhatsApp and Instagram. Facebook hit back in a statement afterward, claiming its data use is for users' own protection
The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new data protection law that entered into force on May 25, 2018.
It aims to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the European Union (EU).
This means cracking down on how companies like Google and Facebook use and sell the data they collect on their users.
Part of the expanded rights of data subjects outlined by the GDPR is the right for data subjects to obtain from the data controller confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning them is being processed, where and for what purpose.
Further, the controller must provide a copy of the personal data, free of charge, in an electronic format.
This change is a dramatic shift to data transparency and empowerment of data subjects.
Bundeskartellamt said Facebook was guilty of 'exploitative abuse' by forcing users to agree allow it to collect data from other Facebook-owned services like WhatsApp and Instagram – as well as third-party websites through
