On Tuesday 28 November, the Noyb association, which specialises in data protection and privacy, lodged a complaint against the Meta group with the Austrian Data Protection Authority. It considers that the choice that Meta is forcing users to make in order to continue using its services, via its ‘Pay or Okay’ system, consisting of consenting to be tracked for the purposes of personalised advertising or paying a subscription, is contrary to European law.
“Under European legislation, consent to online tracking and personalised advertising is only valid if it is ‘freely given’”, stresses Noyb, explaining that “only 3 to 10% of users really want” personalised advertising, but that “99.9% consent” so as not to have to pay for it.
According to calculations from the organisation founded by Max Schrems, the bête noire of the GAFAM (see EUROPE 13098/5), the ‘privacy fees’ introduced by Facebook amount to €12.99, and those of Instagram to €8. It would cost more than €250 each year to users who did not agree to the choice imposed by Meta.
“European legislation requires consent to be the result of the user’s true wishes. Contrary to this law, Meta is imposing a ‘confidentiality fee’”, summarised Felix Mikolasch, a lawyer specialising in data protection at Noyb.
See the complaint: https://aeur.eu/f/9up (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)