(Pocket-lint) – Facebook will switch all UK accounts to US jurisdiction in light of the country’s withdrawal from the European Union.
That means UK Facebook users will be switched to US agreements from 2021 and overseen by the social media giant’s California headquarters rather than Ireland as is currently the case.
And accounts may no longer benefit from the stricter privacy laws enforced by the EU.
“Like other companies, Facebook has had to make changes to respond to Brexit and will be transferring legal responsibilities and obligations for UK users from Facebook Ireland to Facebook Inc,” said the company to Reuters.
It added that there will be no change to the “privacy controls or services” offered, but didn’t elaborate on legal protection.
The EU’s privacy laws give users more control over any data on them, especially since GDPR rules were enforced for all European Union member states. The UK will no longer be obliged to follow EU rules when the transititon period ends on 1 January 2021, having formally left the Union on 31 January 2020.
Like Facebook, Google will also be shifting UK users to US agreements, with other Big Tech brands expected to follow.
The UK government is yet to fully detail data privacy guidelines of its own.
Writing by Rik Henderson.
