Ireland’s Data Privacy Commissioner will reportedly fine Instagram for its handling of children’s data. According to an investigation that began in 2020, Instagram published emails and phone numbers for children ages 13 to 17 who operated business accounts. Business accounts typically post this information by default. Meta, Instagram’s parent, plans to appeal the €405 million fine. It has also added new features to the platform designed to lock down children’s accounts automatically. This is the third GDPR fine the regulator has hit Meta with in the last year; the Irish Commissioner recently fined WhatsApp €225 million and Facebook €17 million. Many tech companies base their EU operations in Ireland, giving this Commissioner’s office considerable influence in this area.

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