Bulletins

Facebook loses bid to block Irish regulator's data flow inquiry

Facebook loses bid to block Irish regulator's data flow inquiry
Smartphone apps from Facebook
(Photo by Christoph Dernbach/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Facebook had sought to block a preliminary decision from Ireland's Data Protection Commission, which would prevent the social networking giant from transferring European users' data to U.S. servers. Ireland's High Court rejected that effort Friday, writing, "I refuse all of the reliefs sought by and dismiss the claims made by it in the proceedings."

The decision effectively ensures that Facebook will have to dramatically restructure its data storage operation to keep user data from the European Union siloed off. Facebook has previously said that such a requirement would "materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations."

Irish regulators will now have to finalize the decision and seek approval from other EU privacy regulators before it goes forward.

Issie Lapowsky

Issie Lapowsky ( @issielapowsky) is Protocol's chief correspondent, covering the intersection of technology, politics, and national affairs. She also oversees Protocol's fellowship program. Previously, she was a senior writer at Wired, where she covered the 2016 election and the Facebook beat in its aftermath. Prior to that, Issie worked as a staff writer for Inc. magazine, writing about small business and entrepreneurship. She has also worked as an on-air contributor for CBS News and taught a graduate-level course at New York University's Center for Publishing on how tech giants have affected publishing.

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