Consumer Rights Groups File GDPR Complaints Against Meta’s Controversial Consent or Pay Model in the EU

The controversial move by Meta last year to switch to charging users in the European Union for an ad-free subscription to Facebook and/or Instagram unless they agreed to be tracked and profiled has sparked a wave of complaints from consumer rights groups. The complaints, filed under the bloc’s data protection rules, highlight concerns about the “consent or pay” choice presented to users.

Meta currently charges regional users a monthly fee to opt out of seeing ads on their linked Facebook and Instagram accounts. The alternative for EU users is to agree to tracking, essentially trading privacy for free access to the platforms. This model has raised questions about the validity of consent and the transparency of Meta’s data processing practices.

Eight consumer rights groups from various EU countries have joined forces to challenge Meta’s approach, arguing that it violates GDPR principles such as purpose limitation, data minimization, fair processing, and transparency. The groups are pushing for regulators to take action against Meta’s “pay-or-consent” model, which they deem coercive and unfair.

The complaints come at a time when Meta is already facing scrutiny over its data processing practices and privacy policies. The company’s reliance on user consent as a legal basis for its ad-targeting operations is being called into question, with concerns raised about the lack of clarity and fairness in the choice presented to users.

As the pressure mounts on Meta to address these concerns, the EU’s data protection regulator is expected to weigh in on the legality of the “consent or pay” model. With potential penalties and enforcement actions on the line, the outcome of this battle could have far-reaching implications for online privacy and data protection in Europe.