Meta, Google face data doomsday as key European Union decision looms

Irish watchdog to rule on data transfer contract terms

Meta Platforms Inc.’s stark warning of a retreat from Europe may just be the start, as one of the region’s top privacy watchdogs prepares a decision that could paralyze transatlantic data flows and risk billions in revenue for tech giants.

The Irish data protection authority, which polices the Silicon Valley tech giants that have flocked to the nation, is soon to weigh in on the legality of so-called standard contractual clauses used by Meta, Alphabet Inc.’s Google and others to legally transfer swathes of user data to the U.S. for processing.

Privacy experts say the imminent decision could eliminate one