Meta’s Ad-Free Subscriptions For Instagram And Facebook Break Europe’s Tech Rules—Possibly Drawing Billions In Fines, EU Says
Facebook and Instagram parent Meta has flouted Europe’s tough digital competition rules by forcing users to “pay or consent” to sharing personal data, the European CommissionThe European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm as well as its tech and competition watchdog, said Meta’s so-called “‘pay or consent’ advertising model” falls foul of the bloc’s Digital Markets Act, which is designed to encourage competition in the tech sector and protect smaller companies from large platforms.
Under the DMA, large tech platforms, termed gatekeepers, must seek consent before combining users’ personal data with core platform services and other offerings like ads, and should not make use of the service conditional upon consent and instead offer an equivalent, less personalized alternative for those who refuse.