This isn’t funny to EU regulators; Meta’s “pay or consent” policy is causing trouble. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) previously advised Meta to provide users with more options, but the company’s paid “ad-free” tier is now under scrutiny and faces potential sanctions.
On the Outdated Continent, Meta provides a premium option allowing users to opt out of personalized ads tailored to their online activities. To this point, so good. While created to comply with EU privacy regulations, this tier still poses limitations, compelling users to either pay or discontinue their subscription.
Nonetheless, this proposal doesn’t comply with EU regulations as the bloc’s authorities remain dissatisfied. They desire additional flexible options without the need for physical activity tracking. If Meta is found to be in violation of the rules, it may face penalties potentially reaching up to 10% of its annual gross revenue.
The Client Safety Cooperation (CSC) community is concurrently conducting an independent inquiry, forwarding concerns regarding potential legal infractions to Meta authorities.
While Meta’s policies suggest that paid tiers should not display advertisements, users may still encounter ads through content shared by other individuals or entities.
The CPC authorities have expressed concerns regarding certain practices related to Meta’s enterprise model rollout, which may be perceived as unfair and contravene various industrial practices directives and legislation.
Key insights gleaned from the CPC community’s correspondence:
- While customers may opt out of subscribing to a payment plan, they must tacitly consent to Meta generating revenue by using their personal data to serve targeted advertisements.
- Within the Facebook/Instagram app or web version, users can click on links directing them to various parts of the Terms of Service or Privacy Policy to understand how their preferences, personal data, and user-generated content may be used by Meta to show them personalized ads.
- By likening “your data” to shoppers’ “private knowledge,” it implies a parallel between the two, potentially blurring the lines between what constitutes personal information. Furthermore, it suggests that customers who opt to pay won’t see any adverts at all, whereas they could still be exposed to ads when engaging with content shared through Fb or Instagram by other members of the platform?
- Pressure tactics are being employed against shoppers who’ve always used Facebook/Instagram for free until the new business model was introduced. For these individuals, whose social lives and interactions are deeply intertwined with these platforms, it’s crucial to consider how this decision will impact their contractual relationship with Meta – particularly by withholding access to their accounts prior to making a choice.
While Facebook ads may be attention-grabbing, their persistence can indeed be trying at times? It might be worth considering toning down their expectations slightly.
