Facebook removes 1.5 billion users from protection of EU privacy law

Enlarge / Mark Zuckerberg in 2017. (credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Facebook has quietly altered its terms of service, making stricter Irish data protection laws no longer binding on the vast majority of its users. The revision was first reported Wednesday by Reuters.

Now, Facebook's headquarters in California will be responsible for processing any relevant legal claims, and American law will be binding for those outside the EU.

Previously, CEO Mark Zuckerberg had said Facebook would implement new EU rules "everywhere." While Facebook may claim that it is offering EU-style control globally, removing this provision in its own terms of service suggests that the company is trying to mitigate its potential legal liability.

Read 11 remaining paragraphs | Comments