EU Consumer Group Claims Meta's Paid Service Could Breach Privacy and Antitrust Rules

Image Credit: Reuters

Meta Platforms' revised subscription service, which offers a no-ads option, may still violate EU consumer, privacy, and antitrust laws, according to the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). The organization urged regulators to take action against the tech giant. 

Meta launched the fee-based service for Facebook and Instagram in 2023 and later offered European users a choice to receive less personalized ads, alongside a 40% discount on fees. However, BEUC, which filed a complaint with consumer protection authorities in 2023, argued that the changes were merely cosmetic.

BEUC Director General Agustin Reyna criticized Meta for not addressing the core issue, stating that users are not given a fair choice and that the company continues to push its behavioral ad system. He urged consumer protection and data authorities, along with the European Commission, to swiftly investigate Meta's latest policy and take necessary action if needed.

The consumer group claims that Meta's practices mislead users and make it impossible for them to freely consent to data processing, accusing the company of not minimizing the data it collects. BEUC also alleges that Meta degrades the service for users who opt not to share personal data.

Meta responded that the changes were made to comply with EU regulations, although it was fined by EU antitrust regulators in July for breaching the Digital Markets Act, with its paid ad-free service seen as limiting user choice.

 

 

 

 

Paraphrasing text from "Reuters" all rights reserved by the original author.