EU Users to be Requested for Permission to Use Data for Targeted Ads

Meta, the social media giant, announced on Tuesday that it plans to request consent from users based in the EU before implementing targeted advertising on its platforms, such as Facebook. This decision comes as a response to the demands of European regulators.

It said the changes were meant to respond to “evolving and emerging regulatory requirements” amid a dispute with the Irish Data Protection Commission, which enforces EU data protection rules in Ireland, from where Meta runs its European operations.

European regulators had in January rejected the previous legal basis – “legitimate interest” – that Meta had used to justify collecting users’ personal data for targeted advertising.

Currently, users connected to Facebook and Instagram by default have this permission enabled and feed their data to Meta so it can generate billions of dollars from such ads.

“We are announcing today our intention to change the legal basis we use to process certain data for behavioral advertising of people living in the EU, EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland from ‘legitimate interests’ to ‘consent,'” Meta said in a blog post.

Meta added that it will share more information in the coming months as it continues “constructive cooperation” with regulators.

“There will be no immediate impact on our services in the region. Once this change is made, advertisers will still be able to run personalized advertising campaigns to reach potential customers and grow their business,” it said.

Metal and other US Big Tech companies have been hit with huge fines in recent years for their business practices in the EU, affected by the need to comply with the bloc’s strict data protection regulations.

More effects are expected from the EU’s digital market regulation, which prohibits anti-competitive behavior by so-called Internet “gatekeepers”.