Consumer groups from eight EU countries have lodged complaints against Meta, accusing the Facebook and Instagram owner of illegally processing user data and using its “pay or consent” system as a “smokescreen” for privacy breaches.
Meta has been selling user data to advertisers, but its business model has faced challenges from EU regulators over data privacy. In November, Meta launched a “pay or consent” system, allowing users to withhold their data for ad targeting in exchange for a monthly fee. However, privacy and consumer advocates have raised concerns about this model.
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) announced the latest action, describing the system as a “smokescreen” and accusing Meta of massive, illegal data processing regardless of user choices. Meta, on the other hand, dismissed the accusations as unfounded.
Eight consumer groups from various countries, including the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain, are filing complaints with their local data protection authorities.
These groups argue that Meta is still violating the European Union’s data protection regulation, which has been the source of previous EU court cases against the company. BEUC called for data protection authorities to intervene and stop Meta’s unfair data processing and infringement of people’s fundamental rights.
BEUC’s report highlighted that Meta is violating the EU data law’s principles of transparency and limitations on data processing and usage. The company is collecting extensive data on consumers’ activities, location, personalities, behavior, attitudes, and emotions, which fails to respect the fundamental principles of the GDPR.
The Silicon Valley company offers a paid subscription option for users in Europe, allowing them to opt-out of data sharing by paying a monthly fee. However, BEUC argues that this model coerces consumers into accepting Meta’s processing of their personal data and does not comply with the requirement of freely given consent.
When Meta introduced paid subscriptions, it claimed that it aligns with the direction given by the highest court in Europe, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which endorsed the subscriptions model as a way for people to consent to data processing for personalized advertising.
The challenges and complaints against Meta’s “pay or consent” scheme are ongoing. The EU’s data watchdog, the EDPB, has already informed Meta that it cannot use users’ personal data for targeted ads without explicit consent. The EDPB is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks regarding the compliance of Meta’s fee system with data privacy laws.
Thursday’s complaint marks the third against Meta’s system. Previously, BEUC and its members filed a joint complaint, and a separate complaint was filed by privacy group NOYB.
These developments reflect the continuous battle between the EU and Meta over data privacy issues.
© 2024 AFP
