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Are Facebook’s Friend Finder Data Collection Practices Illegal in Germany?
The Berlin Regional Court has ruled that Meta’s “Friend Finder” function on Facebook is illegal under German law. This feature allows Facebook to access and process the personal data of individuals who do not use the platform, which the court determined to be an unlawful practice.
The “Find My Friends” Data Issue
The “Find My Friends” feature allows Facebook to siphon data from the mobile phones of individuals who are not registered on the platform. When a Facebook user activates this function, their entire contact list—including phone numbers, stored photos, and relationship or professional details—is uploaded to Meta’s servers. Because these non-users have no contract or agreement with Facebook, they never consented to their data being collected or used by the social network.
The Lawsuit and Court Ruling
The German Federation of Consumer Organizations (VZBV) filed a lawsuit against Meta at the Berlin Regional Court to stop this data collection. On February 24, 2026, the court clarified that processing the data of uninvolved individuals is illegal. As a result, Meta is prohibited from uploading and processing the personal data of non-registered individuals on its servers. The court also banned Facebook from creating user profiles of registered members for personalized advertising without obtaining their explicit consent. It is important to note that this ruling is not yet legally binding and may be subject to appeal.
Where the Lawsuit Fell Short
While the VZBV successfully challenged the “Friend Finder” function, other aspects of their lawsuit failed. The consumer protection agency attempted to prohibit Meta from creating user profiles of unregistered visitors who simply browse Facebook pages. However, the Berlin Regional Court rejected this application, stating that the plaintiffs did not provide enough evidence to substantiate this specific claim of data use, which Meta had denied. The court also ruled that the consent forms Meta currently uses for its registered members meet all legal requirements and are sufficiently specific.