Norwegian court allows massive class action against Telenor over Myanmar data breach

The Asker and Bærum district court has cleared the way for a class-action case against Telenor, allowing it to be heard in court. The suit, submitted by the Justice and Accountability Initiative, represents a large group of former Telenor customers in Myanmar. It accuses the telecom giant of providing the military with confidential user data following the 2021 coup, which the plaintiffs say contributed to executions and imprisonments of dissidents.

The claim seeks compensation per affected subscriber, with the total amount depending on the final count of identified victims. Telenor's information chief, David Fidjeland, maintains that the company bears no responsibility. The lawsuit follows recent police and security service raids on Telenor's headquarters in Bærum.