Belgium wins privacy case against Facebook

Facebook has been ordered to stop tracking Belgian Internet users who have not given the company permission to do so. A Brussels court on Monday gave the social networking site 48 hours to change its tracking behaviour, reports the Belgian broadcaster VRT. Facebook has announced that it will appeal the decision.

If Facebook does not stop using cookies to check and store the surfing behaviour of non-members, the Belgian Privacy Commission will be able to penalise the company at a rate of €250,000 per day.

The Brussels court ruled in favour of the committee that filed the complaint that Facebook's tracking policy does not comply with the Belgian Privacy Act. According to Belgium's privacy watchdog, when online users visit websites or click on the Facebook Like or Share button, the social media website indiscriminately tracks them, regardless of whether or not they are part of the site's 1 billion active users.

"The judge ruled that this is personal data, which Facebook can only use if the internet user expressly gives their consent, as Belgian privacy law dictates," the court said in a statement.

Facebook responded that it will appeal the decision and work to minimise any disruption to access to Facebook in Belgium.