Facebook faces probe over failure to hand over users’ web history data

Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner has launched an investigation into whether Facebook is breaching the GDPR by failing to fulfil requests to hand over information it collects about users’ web browsing.

The social media giant collects information about other websites that Facebook users access using a technology called “Facebook Pixel”.

Millions of websites include the “Facebook Pixel” tracking code because they have Facebook Like buttons or widgets on them.

Article 15 of the GDPR provides for an individual’s “right of access” to personal data collected about them.

However, Facebook has refused to fulfil requests from users to hand over information about their web browsing history as the data is too difficult to locate, The Register reports.

The Data Protection Commissioner has now launched an investigation into the matter and has said it may refer the case to the European Data Protection Board.