The consumer group says Meta’s ad-free paid service may violate EU privacy laws

By Fu Yun Che

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Revised definitions of ad-free paid service platforms may still violate European Union privacy and consumer laws, a consumer group says.

Consumer group urges EU regulators to take action against META

The revised ad-free subscription service (NASDAQ:) may still be in violation of EU consumer and privacy laws as well as antitrust rules, the European consumer watchdog (BEUC) said on Thursday, as it urged regulators to act against the US tech giant.

Meta, which rolled out the fee-based service to Facebook and Instagram in 2023, later offered European users the option of receiving less personalized ads and a 40% reduction in fees last year.

BEUC, which complained about the fee-based service to consumer protection authorities in 2023, said the changes made last year were cosmetic.

“In our view, the tech giant has failed to address the fundamental problem that Facebook and Instagram users do not have a fair choice, and makes a weak presentation to argue that it complies with EU law while still pushing users towards its own behavioral advertising system. BEUC Director General Augustin said Rena.

“It is important that consumer and data protection authorities and the European Commission quickly investigate Meta’s latest policy and, if necessary, take immediate and effective measures to protect consumers,” he said.

BEUC claims Meta’s misleading practices and unclear terms steer users toward its preferred option.

The consumer group also said that it is not possible for users to freely consent to the processing of their data and that Meta does not reduce the data it collects from users.

BEUC also accused Meta of degrading service for users who do not consent to the use of their personal data.

Meta said last year’s changes were in response to demands from EU regulators. European Union antitrust bodies accused the company in July last year of violating the Digital Markets Act, saying its ad-free paid service constituted a binary choice for users.