Technology @lemmy.world 520 @kbin.social 8 mo. ago

Big Tech generated billions in fines but didn't pay them

m.economictimes.com Big Tech generated billions in fines but didn't pay them

Ireland's data regulator confirmed to AFP that Meta has not paid any of the ₹2 billion ($2.2 billion) in fines issued since last September. TikTok also owes hundreds of millions.

19 comments

I always wondered what recourse these governments have to enforce these fines.
- It’s not like these companies are just refusing to pay their fines, as this article falsely implies. There are ongoing legal disputes. Most of Meta’s “unpaid” fines, for example, are from just six months ago and there are legitimate disagreements on them that are subject to appeal.
  
  Hmm, with some lawsuits going years and years, seems like postponing decisions could save a lot because of the time value of money. Maybe one could make a law to account for a standard opportunity cost per industry to increase the fine amount from the date committed to the date paid.
  
  Of course, that's understood, but what I wonder about is how would they enforce it? Does Ireland have the capabilities to block all of Meta's IPs nationwide? If so, what about VPNs? Can they get Apple and Google to delist Meta for Irish citizens? Essentially, I'm wondering about the logistics of enforcement.
  
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- Even GDPR fines are rarely paid in full. We hear about the levied fine since that’s public, but not the actual payment deal.
- Guillotine?
- Banning product?
  
  They should. But many of these companies also control news flow.
  
  Imagine the narrative of "Ireland blocks speech by banning Facebook". Not to mention all the power that other tech companies that rely on those sites for ads have. Taylor Swift traveling there would immediately force Ireland to reopen that social media platform, easily.
  
  Country looks bad. Tech company gets to lol. Fines still get unpaid.
  
  It's a shit situation.
- Well, they can seize company property.
  
  But the Irish Government and therefore their Data Protection Entity don’t actually want Data Privacy because they earn quite a lot of money with the actual lack thereof.
  
  So they are not going to do anything about it unless they are forced by European Institutions or other European governments.
  
  Well, they can seize company property.
  
  In places like Ireland, where it was notoriously used as a tax haven loophole, do many large multinationals using it for that purpose have any real company presence there? Genuine question.

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