After a long in-office dispute with Germany’s data protection authority, the German government has been banned from operating its Facebook page.

German government banned from running Facebook page

The 1 million accounts that follow the German government on Facebook can no longer expect official government updates to appear on their algorithmically-crafted timelines.

In Berlin on Wednesday, Germany’s Data Protection Commissioner Ulrich Kelber ordered the government to cease operations on its Facebook page due to concerns about how the Meta-owned platform carries out "extensive processing of personal data".

In Kelber’s opinion, operating a Facebook page is incongruous with the German government abiding by the law to the highest standard. He said it is known that the platform records and capitalises on user data and operating the Facebook page would not be possible while complying with GDPR laws. "All authorities have a responsibility to comply with the law in an exemplary manner," Kelber said.

Kelber also pointed out that Facebook pages do not comply with the Telecommunications Telemedia Data Protection Act, whereby users have to consent to the use of cookies and other tracking technology before they interact with a page on the internet.

Press office must close Facebook page within four weeks

Kelber’s demands follow a four-year long dispute between the German data protection authority and the government’s press office. But now the order has been served by Kelber, government social media staff have just four weeks to shut down the page.

During the years-long disagreement, Meta representatives have maintained that running a Facebook fan page acts in accordance with GDPR legislation. On Wednesday, a Meta spokesperson also said that Facebook and other social media platforms played an important role in facilitating communication between organisations and people.

Since the German government press office has not been able to provide evidence that running the Facebook page does follow data protection regulations, this justification did not suffice for Kelber. “It is important to us that these organisations can continue to use social media in accordance with the law,” the computer scientist and SPD politician added.

If the press office would like to challenge Kelber’s orders it has one month to take action, after which the case would move to court. 

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