The European Commission on Friday asked Meta to explain its ad-free subscription system on Facebook and Instagram, which the associations accused of breaching EU rules on personal data, AFP reported.
Starting in November, Meta offers European Facebook and Instagram users a choice between continuing to use these services for free, consenting to the use of their personal data for targeted advertising, or paying a subscription to stop seeing ads.
This option is presented by the American giant as a way to comply with European rules on the processing of personal data, which have already led to several convictions and fines.
However, on Thursday, consumer associations filed a complaint against the new subscription system, denouncing it as “a smokescreen designed to distract consumers from the illegal processing of their personal data”.
Meta said the allegations were “baseless.”
On Friday, the European executive announced that it had sent a request for information to the US social media giant on the matter under the new Digital Services Regulation (DSA), which came into force at the end of August.
In this official letter, Meta is asked to “provide additional information regarding the measures taken to comply with its obligations regarding the advertising practices of Facebook and Instagram.”
It is also asking for information on “recommendation systems” that highlight content for users of its platforms, as well as “an assessment of the risks associated with the introduction of this subscription option”.
This is only the first stage of a procedure that can ultimately lead to significant financial penalties for proven and persistent violations of the rules. In extreme cases, fines can reach up to 6% of the global turnover of the offending groups.
The commission has already sent Meta a number of requests for information on various topics, including the publication of terrorist content, disinformation in the context of election campaigns and the protection of minors. (photo: Daniel Constante, Dreamstime.com)
- Europe blames Meta: Facebook and Instagram data collection ‘massive’ and ‘illegal’
Source: Hot News
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