Meta Faces EU Complaints Over Data Privacy Practices

Consumer groups challenge Meta's 'pay or consent' model, alleging it breaches EU data protection laws.

Consumer groups from eight EU countries have lodged complaints against Meta, accusing it of illegal data processing and using a 'pay or consent' system as a privacy smokescreen.
The complaints argue that Meta's system violates the EU's General Data Protection Regulation by not allowing users to freely consent to data processing.
Meta's 'pay or consent' model, which charges users a monthly fee to opt out of data sharing, is under scrutiny for potentially coercing consumers.
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and other consumer groups are calling for data protection authorities to take action against Meta's data processing practices.
Meta defends its subscription model as compliant with EU regulations, citing a Court of Justice of the European Union ruling endorsing such models.