The European data regulator said Wednesday that Facebook owner Meta and other online platforms are forcing users to pay for data protection rights under EU law when offering ad-free subscriptions. announced that it would not.
“Online platforms should offer users real choice when adopting a ‘consent or pay’ model,” European Data Protection Board (EDPB) President Anu Tars said in a statement.
“Today’s model typically requires individuals to either hand over all their data or pay a fee,” he said. “As a result, although most users consent to processing in order to use the service, they do not fully understand the implications of their choices.”
Meta launched a “pay or consent” system in November that allows users to withhold the use of their data for ad targeting in exchange for a monthly fee, but the model has drawn some attention from privacy and consumer advocates. was facing the issue of.
Meta has long made money by selling user data to advertisers, a business model that has led to repeated battles with EU regulators over data privacy.
The latest announcement comes after the data protection authorities of the Netherlands, Norway and the German state of Hamburg went to the EDPB seeking opinion on the payment or consent model used by Meta.
All digital platforms must comply with the European Union’s mammoth General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). GDPR is the root cause of the EU case against Meta.
In its opinion, EDPB argued that Meta’s model violates the GDPR’s requirement that consent to use data must be freely given.
“In most cases, when large online platforms force users to choose between consenting to the processing of their personal data for behavioral advertising purposes and paying a fee, the requirement for valid consent cannot be met. It would be impossible.” read.
EDPB also warned that subscription services of the type proposed by Meta “should not be the default method going forward” for platforms.
They suggested that platforms consider alternatives that give users the right to opt out of being tracked for advertising purposes without paying a fee.
– Meta is “not an option” –
When Meta announced its ad-free subscription model, it claimed it was in line with regulators and EU court requirements.
The Silicon Valley company allows Instagram and Facebook users in Europe to opt out of data sharing by paying 10 to 13 euros (about $11 to $14) a month.
Privacy advocates welcomed the opinion.
Max Schrems, a prominent online privacy activist, said: “Overall, meta is not an option in the EU. Going forward we need to give users a true yes/no choice for personalized ads.” said.
“We know that ‘pay or okay’ varies consent rates from about 3 percent to more than 99 percent. So as much as North Korea is moving away from being a democracy, ‘pay-or-okay’ ‘We are far from agreeing,’ Schrems said.
raz/ec/nmc/rox
