Meta Reportedly Expects EU Order to Halt Data Transfers to US

Meta's quarterly SEC filings show a company bracing for impact. The EU is widely expected to find Meta/Facebook in violation of the EU's privacy law, the GDPR, with respect to the transfer of data about Europeans to the US. Meta is not alone in facing down the EU regarding online technologies and user privacy; last year, the EU issued more than a billion dollars in privacy fines.  

Why It Matters

Many, many, many websites are integrated to some degree with Facebook or other Meta services. Facebook serves ads, provides single sign-on capabilities, and helps with website and purchase analytics (among other things). All of that currently means that regulated "personal data" about EU residents are transferred to the US for processing, in violation of the GDPR. If Meta's transfers are shut down, its downstream B2B customers are likely to be affected as well. It would be prudent to check your websites now to understand whether an order stopping Facebook/Meta activities could disrupt your online presence.