Investigation Launched by Personal Information Commission on 'Facebook Personal Data Coercion'... Meta Delays Update

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Meta, the operator of social networking services (SNS) Facebook and Instagram, has forced users to consent to the collection of personal information, prompting the Personal Information Protection Commission to investigate the circumstances. Meta postponed the scheduled update of its privacy policy from the 26th to early next month.

According to industry sources on the 22nd, the Personal Information Protection Commission recently summoned Meta's legal representatives to ascertain the facts. The commission is taking Meta's policy seriously and is considering issuing corrective orders and imposing fines if domestic user accounts that do not consent to personal information collection are suspended.

Article 39-3, Paragraph 3 of the Personal Information Protection Act stipulates that "service providers shall not refuse to provide services on the grounds that users do not provide personal information."

Earlier, on May 26, Meta revised its privacy policy and service terms and notified users with guidance centered on obtaining consent for personal information collection. The notice states, "After the 26th, you must agree to the update to use your account," effectively forcing users to consent to the revised terms.

Meta requires users to consent to six items related to the collection and use of personal information. It collects essential personal data for "personalized advertising," including basic information such as posts and friend lists, as well as users' smartphone models, location information, and visited websites.

Meta postponed the privacy policy update, originally planned for the 26th, to the 9th of next month. Although this change has not yet been reflected on Meta's official privacy policy website, users who have not consented are being informed of the new application date of the 9th through pop-up windows.

Meta has not clearly stated the reason for the postponement, but industry insiders believe the delay is due to ongoing backlash from some users threatening to withdraw their accounts if the new privacy policy is not withdrawn.

Meanwhile, on the same day, National Assembly members Jang Hye-young and Bae Jin-kyo of the Justice Party, together with the Lawyers for a Democratic Society, Progressive Network, and People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, held a forum to examine whether Meta's new privacy policy violates current laws. Participants at the forum plan to scrutinize whether Meta's new privacy policy breaches the Personal Information Protection Act.