Facebook is spying on people in “the very same way” that the NSA does, said the Belgian data protection watchdog at a court hearing where the social network stands accused of violating the privacy of internet users.

The Belgian watchdog has filed a lawsuit against the social network, accusing it of breaching EU law and violating the privacy rights of internet users. The BPC issued a report, arguing that Facebook tracked everyone, even users who had logged-out and people who don’t even have a Facebook account at all, via the use of cookies and the ‘like’ or ‘share’ buttons which can be found on more than 13 million websites worldwide.

Hacking of computers at Belgian telecoms firm Belgacom, alleged to have been carried out by a British spy agency, was more far-reaching than previously thought and went undetected for more than two years.

News of the intrusion into Belgacom's networks first broke late last year when Belgium asked Britain, its NATO and European Union partner, to respond to allegations that its intelligence service was responsible. It said the malicious software found on Belgacom's systems was one of the most advanced spy tools ever identified by security researchers. Belgacom, Belgium's dominant telecoms provider, was seen as a top target by the British spy agency.