Meta to Offer EU Users Choice on Personalised Ads Under Digital Markets Act
Meta has agreed to provide Facebook and Instagram users across the European Union with greater control over how their personal data is used for advertising, the European Commission announced on Monday. The move aligns with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which seeks to ensure fair competition and stronger consumer protection in the digital economy.
New Privacy Options Coming in January
According to the Commission, Meta will introduce a system that allows users to make an explicit choice. They can either consent to share all their personal data for fully personalised advertising or choose to share less data in exchange for a more limited ad experience. The new options will become available to EU users from January next year.
The commitment follows months of tension between Brussels and the U.S. tech giant. In June, the European Commission warned Meta of possible daily fines after the company proposed only minimal adjustments to its “pay-or-consent” model — a system that required users to pay for an ad-free version of its platforms or consent to data tracking for targeted ads.
EU Pressure and Previous Penalties
Meta’s revised approach appears to be an effort to bring its practices into full compliance with the DMA. Earlier this year, the company faced a €200 million ($234 million) fine after EU antitrust regulators concluded that its pay-or-consent model violated the law between November 2023 and November 2024.
The Digital Markets Act, which came into force in 2023, imposes stricter rules on large online platforms designated as “gatekeepers.” It aims to prevent them from unfairly leveraging their dominance to the detriment of users and competitors.
Meta’s latest commitment suggests it is now seeking to avoid further sanctions as EU regulators intensify scrutiny of major tech firms’ advertising and data-handling practices.
with inputs from Reuters