EU court backs Facebook rejection of class action privacy suit

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) – An Austrian privacy activist can not bring a class action lawsuit against Facebook for alleged privacy violations but can himself sue the company in his home court, the highest European Union court ruled on Thursday.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) said Max Schrems could bring a case against the U.S. company and benefit from consumer law as an individual, but could not bring the other claims assigned to him in his home court.

“Mr Schrems may bring an individual action in Austria against Facebook Ireland,” the court said in a statement.

“By contrast, as the assignee of other consumers’ claims, he cannot benefit from the consumer forum for the purposes of a collective action.”