Instagram accused of leaking children’s phone numbers and email addresses, regulators fined 32 billion

Regulators of Ireland have imposed a big fine on Instagram for children’s privacy. Instagram has been fined 32 billion rupees for violating the rules of children’s privacy. Instagram is alleged to have violated rules regarding children’s phone numbers and email addresses. This was a long-running case, on which Instagram has now suffered a huge setback.

According to a BBC report, some people allegedly upgraded business accounts to access analytic tools such as profile visits, which made a large part of their personal data public.

This also includes phone numbers and email addresses. Now Instagram’s parent company Meta has made up its mind to appeal further against this fine. This is the third time that the company has faced the fines of the regulators.

What did the data protection commissioner say

Describing the fine against Instagram, Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) said that we have given our decision last Friday, under which the company is fined 405 million euros. If you convert this fine in Indian rupees, then it is about 32 billion 17 crore 44 lakh 15 thousand rupees.

Meta took the side

Speaking to the BBC, Meta officials said that this inquiry was based on old settings, which we have updated a year ago. Since then, we have released many features that make children’s personal data and information secure.

Further company officials said that “If a person above 18 years of age joins Instagram, then his account becomes private automatically. After this, only those people who know him can see his post. Those who don’t know him can’t see his posts.