LIVE UPDATES
WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, has announced its intention to appeal the $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for violating Nigeria's data privacy laws.
In a statement released to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, WhatsApp expressed its disagreement with the decision and the fine, stating that Meta will be appealing the ruling.
The organization also mentioned that its efforts to explain the process of communicating with businesses to users globally in 2021, despite initial confusion, have been well-received.
The reaction from WhatsApp follows a statement from the FCCPC, which accused Meta of denying Nigerian users control over their data, sharing user data without consent, and abusing its market dominance.
The FCCPC's final order imposed a monetary penalty of $220 million on Meta in accordance with the FCCPA 2018 and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (Administrative Penalties) Regulations 2020.
The investigation by the FCCPC was initiated in May 2021 based on evidence suggesting that Meta had breached the provisions of the FCCPA 2018 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.
The competition protection body noted that Meta had cooperated by providing some information and engaging with investigators and analysts from the commission and the NDPC.
