4 ms·

So what stops Facebook from just banning Norwegian users?

viraptor 3y ago
Money from advertising. Sure, they can cut off everyone who tried to sue them... but won't last long that way. Also they could be still sued for the past non-compliance instead.
throw5555788o 3y ago
Or simply not complying. After all what can Norway do about it? Lol It reminds them of the Canada govt trying to make FB pay for news. Ehh... NOPE.
- markdown 3y ago
  They can block FB in their country.
  - XorNot 3y ago
    They don't have to, is the thing. If Facebook can't operate as a business in their country, then they can't collect advertising revenue there, can't run FB marketplace, etc. Facebook has always had the option to not operate as a business in a country, that they do is because it's profitable to do so.
    - Stranger43 3y ago
      It's worth noting that not paying fines in one country is a serious enough deal for the entire European Economic Area that it can escalate to that company not being allowed to do any trade in the entire EEC. And this fine will increase if Facebook dont comply, it's been done before to even bigger targets like Microsoft(back when windows/office was still relevant) so just being big wont save Facebook here.
- hdjjhhvvhga 3y ago
  They can freeze their assets. They can basically do everything you can do against a company that doesn't obey the law.
  - runarb 3y ago
    Correct. From what I can read in the decision letter, Metas local Norwegian subsidiary, named "Facebook Norway AS", is being held collectively responsible for "fine of up to NOK 1 000 000 per day of non-compliance on Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and/or Facebook Norway AS" - https://www.datatilsynet.no/contentassets/36ad4a92100943439df9a8a3a7015c19/urgent-and-provisional-measures--meta_redacted.pdf https://www.datatilsynet.no/contentassets/36ad4a92100943439d... Facebook Norway AS did, however, only have a revenue of about 6.6 million USD in 2022, with a profit of 3.6 million USD, according to https://www.proff.no/selskap/facebook-norway-as/oslo/reklamebyr%C3%A5er/IF5JLYW01DI/ https://www.proff.no/selskap/facebook-norway-as/oslo/reklame... . They have 27 employees. The revenue from Norway are however much bigger and was speculated to be 233 million USD in 2021: https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/A3r1Mz/facebook-bokfoerte-bare-54-millioner-kroner-i-inntekter-i-norge-i-fjor https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/A3r1Mz/facebook-bokfoerte-bare-...
    - jacquesm 3y ago
      FB has datacenters in Denmark and Sweden, countries that are very friendly with Norway and that have plenty of treaties between them, such as the Helsinki Treaty. Piss one off enough and you might find that four countries go after you in sync. And seizing those DC's is childs play for a nation state, where are they going to take them?
- jacquesm 3y ago
  Lol indeed: throw their execs in jail when they transit through a country with which they have an extradition agreement (plenty of precedent for that), freeze or seize their assets, block them at the ISP level (ISPs would have to play ball unless they themselves would want to be come a target). The idea that some crap company outranks a nation state with millions of citizens is ridiculous. Also: even though Norway isn't part of the EU (though it is in Schengen) they could bring a case in the EU courts and have Meta's assets in Ireland seized. That would really hurt if the court allowed it.
  - throw5555788o 3y ago
    Trust me, if was a Facebook exec I wouldn't lose ANY sleep over it. Norway has 5 millon people, it doesn't have any leverage and it's largely irrelevant. Not to disrespect Norway bros, but it's the truth.
    - jacquesm 3y ago
      I'm not going to trust you. The EU has shown time and again that it is perfectly capable of dealing with asshole companies and Norway, even though it isn't in the EU has enough standing with the Union and the Nordics separately to get them to take this serious. There is probably a reason that you are not a Facebook exec, and no disrespect to you but you are clueless about how large companies interact with the law. They'll scream, they'll sue, they'll haggle and they will delay but ultimately they fold. The same has already happened to big telco's, many large IT companies, industrial giants etc, FB is no exception.
- gmerc 3y ago
  I love you one causally goes about “can’t they just violate the law” Fuck around and find out Facebook.
retrac 3y ago
Getting banned in multiple western countries (this won't be the last case like this I suspect) for refusal to comply with their democratically-valid laws is a great way to end up a corporate pariah. Facebook is in a similar showdown right now with the EU, appealing a 1 billion EUR fine: https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/meta-fined-record-us-1-3-billion-and-ordered-to-stop-sending-european-user-data-to-u-s-1.6408561 https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/meta-fined-record-us-1-3-bil... Their disagreement with the Canadian government is coming to a head too: https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/all-news-in-canada-will-be-removed-from-facebook-instagram-within-weeks-meta-1.6502469 https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/all-news-in-canada-will-be-r... If they choose to only operate in markets which let them operate entirely as they see fit, they may find themselves soon with no markets left to operate in.
- betaby 3y ago
  Not related like at all Canadian one. Beside the fact 'governments are not happy.'
gmerc 3y ago
Google taking the advertising cake.

Money from advertising. Sure, they can cut off everyone who tried to sue them... but won't last long that way. Also they could be still sued for the past non-compliance instead.

throw5555788o 3y ago

Or simply not complying. After all what can Norway do about it? Lol It reminds them of the Canada govt trying to make FB pay for news. Ehh... NOPE.

markdown 3y ago
They can block FB in their country.
- XorNot 3y ago
  They don't have to, is the thing. If Facebook can't operate as a business in their country, then they can't collect advertising revenue there, can't run FB marketplace, etc. Facebook has always had the option to not operate as a business in a country, that they do is because it's profitable to do so.
  - Stranger43 3y ago
    It's worth noting that not paying fines in one country is a serious enough deal for the entire European Economic Area that it can escalate to that company not being allowed to do any trade in the entire EEC. And this fine will increase if Facebook dont comply, it's been done before to even bigger targets like Microsoft(back when windows/office was still relevant) so just being big wont save Facebook here.
hdjjhhvvhga 3y ago
They can freeze their assets. They can basically do everything you can do against a company that doesn't obey the law.
- runarb 3y ago
  Correct. From what I can read in the decision letter, Metas local Norwegian subsidiary, named "Facebook Norway AS", is being held collectively responsible for "fine of up to NOK 1 000 000 per day of non-compliance on Meta Platforms Ireland Limited and/or Facebook Norway AS" - https://www.datatilsynet.no/contentassets/36ad4a92100943439df9a8a3a7015c19/urgent-and-provisional-measures--meta_redacted.pdf https://www.datatilsynet.no/contentassets/36ad4a92100943439d... Facebook Norway AS did, however, only have a revenue of about 6.6 million USD in 2022, with a profit of 3.6 million USD, according to https://www.proff.no/selskap/facebook-norway-as/oslo/reklamebyr%C3%A5er/IF5JLYW01DI/ https://www.proff.no/selskap/facebook-norway-as/oslo/reklame... . They have 27 employees. The revenue from Norway are however much bigger and was speculated to be 233 million USD in 2021: https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/A3r1Mz/facebook-bokfoerte-bare-54-millioner-kroner-i-inntekter-i-norge-i-fjor https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/A3r1Mz/facebook-bokfoerte-bare-...
  - jacquesm 3y ago
    FB has datacenters in Denmark and Sweden, countries that are very friendly with Norway and that have plenty of treaties between them, such as the Helsinki Treaty. Piss one off enough and you might find that four countries go after you in sync. And seizing those DC's is childs play for a nation state, where are they going to take them?
jacquesm 3y ago
Lol indeed: throw their execs in jail when they transit through a country with which they have an extradition agreement (plenty of precedent for that), freeze or seize their assets, block them at the ISP level (ISPs would have to play ball unless they themselves would want to be come a target). The idea that some crap company outranks a nation state with millions of citizens is ridiculous. Also: even though Norway isn't part of the EU (though it is in Schengen) they could bring a case in the EU courts and have Meta's assets in Ireland seized. That would really hurt if the court allowed it.
- throw5555788o 3y ago
  Trust me, if was a Facebook exec I wouldn't lose ANY sleep over it. Norway has 5 millon people, it doesn't have any leverage and it's largely irrelevant. Not to disrespect Norway bros, but it's the truth.
  - jacquesm 3y ago
    I'm not going to trust you. The EU has shown time and again that it is perfectly capable of dealing with asshole companies and Norway, even though it isn't in the EU has enough standing with the Union and the Nordics separately to get them to take this serious. There is probably a reason that you are not a Facebook exec, and no disrespect to you but you are clueless about how large companies interact with the law. They'll scream, they'll sue, they'll haggle and they will delay but ultimately they fold. The same has already happened to big telco's, many large IT companies, industrial giants etc, FB is no exception.
gmerc 3y ago
I love you one causally goes about “can’t they just violate the law” Fuck around and find out Facebook.

retrac 3y ago

Getting banned in multiple western countries (this won't be the last case like this I suspect) for refusal to comply with their democratically-valid laws is a great way to end up a corporate pariah. Facebook is in a similar showdown right now with the EU, appealing a 1 billion EUR fine: https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/meta-fined-record-us-1-3-billion-and-ordered-to-stop-sending-european-user-data-to-u-s-1.6408561 https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/meta-fined-record-us-1-3-bil... Their disagreement with the Canadian government is coming to a head too: https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/all-news-in-canada-will-be-removed-from-facebook-instagram-within-weeks-meta-1.6502469 https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/all-news-in-canada-will-be-r... If they choose to only operate in markets which let them operate entirely as they see fit, they may find themselves soon with no markets left to operate in.

betaby 3y ago
Not related like at all Canadian one. Beside the fact 'governments are not happy.'

gmerc 3y ago

Google taking the advertising cake.