Facebook to take UK users out of EU privacy laws in 2021
By Caoimhe Toman
Date: Wednesday 16 Dec 2020
(Sharecast News) - Facebook is set to shift all its UK users into privacy agreements with its corporate headquarters in California and thus out of the stricter EU laws which are binding on its Irish unit.
The change is due to take effect in 2021 and follows a similar move announced in February by Google.
"Like other companies, Facebook has had to make changes to respond to Brexit and will be transferring legal responsibilities and obligations for UK users from Facebook Ireland to Facebook Inc. There will be no change to the privacy controls or the services Facebook offers to people in the UK," the company's UK arm said.
Facebook's UK users will remain subject to UK privacy law, which for now tracks the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Facebook is making the change to evade the EU's privacy regime - which is one of the strictest in the world.
UK information industry regulators said they were aware of the change and will be monitoring it as Brexit nears. "We are aware of Facebook's plans and will continue to engage with the company in the new year," said a spokeswoman at the Information Commissioner's Office.
Facebook will inform users of the shift in the next six months, the Guardian reported, citing a company spokesman.
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