If the new European law for the protection of the electronic data of internet users is implemented from tomorrow, almost 1,9 billion users of Facebook around the world would be protected by it.
But the biggest social network is doing everything it can to ensure that number is much lower.
Facebook members outside the United States and Canada, whether they know it or not, are currently subject to the terms of service agreed at the company's international headquarters in Ireland.
From the following month, however, according to Reuters, Facebook intends to make it very clear that only European users will be protected by its General Data Protection Regulation Europeanof the Union (GDPR).
Next month, Facebook is planning to make that the case for only European users, meaning 1.5 billion members in Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America will not fall under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which takes effect on May 25 .
What does this mean; 1,5 billion members of the social network in Africa, Asia, the Australia and Latin America, will not fall under the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union.
Facebook confirmed in Reuters on Thursday that they are willing to adopt the GDPR. The law allows European regulators to impose large fines on companies that collect and use personal data without the consent of users.
This law will not stop at European borders, as wherever it is, the company will be bound by GDPR's requirements if its facilities are located in the EU, offer goods and services in the EU or monitor the behavior of the EU population.
This change will affect more than 70 percent of 2 billion Facebook members. In December, Facebook had 239 millions of users in the United States and Canada, 370 millions in Europe and 1,52 billion users in other countries around the world.
Το Facebook, όπως και πολλές άλλες εταιρείες τεχνολογίας των ΗΠΑ, ίδρυσε μια ιρλανδική θυγατρική το 2008 εκμεταλλευόμενο τους χαμηλούς συνoperators taxation of the country. But the Icelandic subsidiary will be subject to the regulations that will apply in the European Union.
But let's look at a very interesting Facebook statement:
"We apply the same privacy protection everywhere, whether your agreement is with Facebook Inc. or Facebook Ireland," the company said.
But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Reuters earlier this month that his company will follow suit "spirit" of EU law, but did not appear to be committed to whether the "spirit" would be applied worldwide.
For users of the social network in Europe, Facebook has published yesterday the changes that come with GDPR.
Let us remind you that at duration of the Zuckerberg hearing by CongressUS Senator John Thune, a South Dakota Republican and chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Science and Transport, said:
"The story you created represents the American dream. You have an obligation to ensure that the dream will not become a nightmare ".
