European regulators were unconvinced by a plan announced by Meta, the company founded by Mark Zuckerberg that owns Facebook and Instagram, to comply with EU data protection rules, Reuters reported.

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) announced on Wednesday afternoon that it has extended Norway’s initial ban on “personalised advertising”, which is at the heart of Meta’s business model, to all 30 member states of the European Union and the European Economic Area.

The EDPB also announced that it had sent its decision to the data regulator in Ireland, the country where Meta’s European headquarters are located, and had given it two weeks to impose a permanent ban on this type of advertising used by Meta’s platforms.

“On October 27, the EDPB adopted a binding decision (…) to introduce a ban on the processing of personal data for behavioral advertising due to contractual principles and legitimate interests throughout the European Economic Area,” the institution said in a statement. Reuters press release.

Meta recalled on Wednesday, after announcing the decision, that it had already introduced on Monday a system of paid subscriptions that it will make available to its users in Europe from November in order to comply with EU regulations.

“EDPB members have been fully aware of this plan for weeks and we have already been actively working with them to achieve an outcome that is satisfactory to all parties,” a Meta spokesman said.

“This development unjustifiably ignores this thorough and robust regulatory process,” it said.

Some of Meta’s problems in Europe started in Norway

In Norway, Meta is already being fined one million kroner (about $90,000) a day for violating rules on respecting users’ personal data in order to target them with personalized ads, a business model used by other big tech companies.

Datatilsynet, the Norwegian regulator in the field, announced in September that it had forwarded the file to European authorities because the fine only applies in Norway and was due to expire on November 3.

But now it will become permanent. Norway is not one of the member states of the European Union, but is part of the single market of the EU bloc.

It’s not yet clear what Meta’s next steps will be, given that the alternatives are abandoning personalized advertising, which would hit its revenue in Europe, or going all-in on paid subscriptions, which is likely to hurt even more users.

The plan, announced by Mark Zuckerberg’s company on Monday, will allow users unhappy with the use of their personal data to opt for a paid subscription, while others will remain on the free model.

But it is now clear that the EDPB was not convinced by this “solution” found by Meta as being apparently in line with European regulations.

PHOTO Article: © Rokas Tenys | Dreamstime.com