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European officials have broadened a ban on Meta's "behavioral advertising" practices across most of Europe, media reports say.
This move intensifies a growing conflict between the continent's privacy-conscious institutions and the American technology giant, according to a report from the Associated Press. Behavioral advertising, a widely used strategy by companies like Meta's Facebook and Instagram, involves the collection of individual behavioral data, including browsing habits, mouse clicks, and app usage, which is then used to create user profiles for targeted advertising.
The decision to expand the ban was made by the European Data Protection Board and signifies a significant escalation of a dispute that originally erupted in Norway. In Norway, privacy authorities had imposed daily fines of 1 million kroner, equivalent to approximately $90,000, on Meta for its unauthorized collection of user data without obtaining proper consent, the agency report says. These fines have been accruing since August 14th.
This development highlights the increasing tension between European regulators and Meta, emphasizing the importance of data privacy and protection in the digital age. European Union regulations, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), are aimed at safeguarding the privacy rights of individuals and necessitate clear and informed consent for the collection and utilization of personal data. The conflict underscores the challenges tech companies face when operating in regions with stringent data privacy laws.
The AP report adds:
Meta said it has cooperated with regulators and pointed to its announced plans to give Europeans the opportunity to consent to data collection and, later this month, to offer an ad-free subscription service in Europe that will cost 9.99 euros ($10.59) a month for access to all its products. The latest decision “unjustifiably ignores that careful and robust regulatory process,” the company said in a statement following the European board's action.
Tobias Judin, head of the international section at the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, said Meta's proposed steps likely won't meet European legal standards. For instance, he said, consent would have to be freely given, which wouldn't be the case if existing users had to choose between giving up their privacy rights or paying a financial penalty in the form of a subscription.
“Meta’s business model is at odds with the law and users’ fundamental rights, and Meta will not back down willingly,” Judin said via email. “They continue with their unlawful activities to this very day, simply because breaking the law is so profitable.”