Data protection is one of the most important aspects for any technology company, since this information has become very valuable in the digital world. For this same reason, the authorities control the use and levels of data protection by these companies and when they do not comply with the stipulated parameters they are fined, as has just happened to Instagram.

Social networks are a complicated place for this aspect, since minors to the elderly can have a profile on one of these platforms. The danger comes from these first, since at their young age they have a desire to be popular and to be liked by everyone, which can lead them to commit nonsense that an older person might not do.

That is why for some time Instagram has extended a series of measures for users who are under 18 years of age, such as, for example, that their profiles are private or that a person of legal age cannot send them messages if they do not follow each other.

However, it has been discovered that several minors updated their profile to establish it as a company in order to be able to access the analytical tools offered by the platform and be able to see who enters their profile, but without knowing it, this change also makes their data personal are public.

In this way, the minors themselves had exposed information such as their names, telephone numbers and emails . Upon learning of this, the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) took action and has fined the company €405 million for failing to protect the information of users under the age of 18.

For its part, the company has shown its total rejection of the amount set by the Irish authorities. “Although we have cooperated fully with the CPD throughout their investigation, we do not agree with the way this fine has been calculated and we intend to appeal it.” a Meta spokeswoman explained to BBC News.

There is no doubt that the protection of minors in social networks should be one of the main issues and aspects in any of the platforms, and that the authorities leave no room for failure is a good step forward to achieve a safe digital space for all .