Meta Stock: Spanish Judge Orders €479 Million Fine for Data Breach

TLDR

• Meta ordered to pay €479 million by Spanish court for improper use of Facebook and Instagram user data
• Court ruled Meta breached EU GDPR regulations through advertising practices on both platforms
• Spain launched separate investigation into alleged hidden tracking of Android device users
• META stock dropped toward $590 after breaking below key technical support levels
• All major moving averages above price with RSI showing continued selling pressure

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Meta received a €479 million penalty from a Spanish judge this week. The ruling requires payment to 87 digital media publishers and press agencies across Spain.

Meta Platforms, Inc., META

The court found Meta violated EU General Data Protection Regulation standards. The company improperly used personal data from Facebook and Instagram users for advertising purposes. This created unfair competitive advantage according to the judgment.

Spanish digital press organizations brought the lawsuit against Meta. They claimed the social media company mishandled protected user information when running ad campaigns.

Meta Ireland did not submit financial accounts for its Spanish business during court proceedings. The judge cited this failure in the ruling against the company.

Stock Drops as Second Investigation Opens

META shares moved toward $590 after the court decision. Spain simultaneously announced a parliamentary investigation into Android tracking practices.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said no platform stands above national law. His remarks reinforced government commitment to the probe. Investigators are examining whether Meta used hidden mechanisms to track Android users across its apps without adequate consent.

The regulatory pressure arrived as META’s chart structure deteriorated. The stock fell through its ascending trendline that provided support since spring. This breakdown pushed shares below the 20, 50, 100, and 200-day exponential moving averages.

Each moving average now sits above the current price. This creates a stacked resistance pattern that typically signals continued weakness. The Parabolic SAR indicator has remained negative throughout November.

META is forming a pattern of lower highs and lower lows. The stock approaches support between $575 and $565. That zone served as accumulation area during summer months.

Technical Indicators Point Lower

The Relative Strength Index dropped into oversold territory. However, no bullish divergence has appeared to signal potential reversal. The lack of volume spikes suggests selling has not reached exhaustion.

Trading volume remains moderate during the decline. This indicates the market could see additional weakness before finding a bottom.

Intraday charts show META trading beneath the Supertrend indicator on 30-minute timeframes. Each bounce toward $596 to $600 meets selling pressure. The Directional Movement Index shows the negative line above the positive line, confirming downward momentum controls the trend.

Traders are using rallies as exit opportunities rather than entry points. Short-term buyers have shown minimal interest in defending price levels.

META would need to reclaim $615 to $620 to shift the technical outlook. This region aligns with the broken trendline and 20-day EMA. Without recovery above that zone, sellers maintain structural advantage.

The Spanish investigation schedule calls for Meta to provide testimony before authorities. European regulators have previously targeted the company for GDPR violations and Digital Markets Act compliance failures.

The Android tracking allegations represent another chapter in Meta’s ongoing regulatory challenges across Europe. Depending on investigation findings, Meta could face additional fines or operational restrictions in Spanish and broader European markets.

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