Meta faces wider restrictions on behavioral advertising in Europe under Privacy Regulators Act
European authorities extended the prohibition on Meta's 'behavioral advertising' to cover most of Europe, intensifying the clash between Europe's privacy-focused organisations and a major American tech company.
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Highlights
- Europe widens the ban on Meta's ad practices
- Meta faces fines and restrictions in Europe for data collection
- The EU targets Meta and others with new digital rules
In a significant move, European officials have expanded their ban on Meta's "behavioral advertising" practices to most of Europe. This action sets the stage for a broader conflict between privacy-focused European institutions and the American tech giant Meta.
Behavioral advertising, a practice used by Meta through platforms like Facebook and Instagram, involves closely tracking individuals' online behavior, such as their web browsing habits, mouse clicks, and app usage.
This data is then used to create profiles for targeted advertising. European authorities have taken issue with this practice, leading to a series of actions against Meta.
European data protection board's decision
The European Data Protection Board's decision represents a significant escalation of this ongoing battle. It originated in Norway, where privacy officials imposed daily fines of 1 million kroner (approximately $90,000) on Meta for collecting such data without proper consent. These fines have been accumulating since 14 August.
Meta's response and European concerns
Meta has claimed cooperation with regulators and has announced plans to allow Europeans to consent to data collection. They also plan to offer an ad-free subscription service costing 9.99 euros ($10.59) a month for access to all their products. However, European officials are not convinced that these steps meet the required legal standards.
For instance, they argue that consent must be given freely, which might not be the case if users are forced to choose between surrendering their privacy rights or paying for a subscription.
Meta's ongoing privacy struggles
Meta has been facing scrutiny regarding data privacy for a while. In May, the EU slapped Meta with a record $1.3 billion fine and mandated it to halt the transfer of users' personal data across the Atlantic by October. Furthermore, Meta's new text-based app, Threads, has not been introduced in the EU due to regulatory concerns.
The conflict between Meta and European authorities reflects the ongoing struggle to balance the interests of privacy and technology in the digital age.
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