Platforms should not confront users with 'binary choice' over personal data use

The EU’s Data Protection Board (EDPB) has told large online platforms they should not offer users a binary choice between paying for a service and consenting to their personal data being used to provide targeted advertising.

In October last year, the social media giant said it would be possible to pay Meta to stop Instagram or Facebook feeds of personalized ads and prevent it from using personal data for marketing for users in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. Meta then announced a subscription model of €9.99/month on the web or €12.99/month on iOS and Android for users who did not want their personal data used for targeted advertising.

At the time, Felix Mikolasch, data protection lawyer at noyb, said: “EU law requires that consent is the genuine free will of the user. Contrary to this law, Meta charges a ‘privacy fee’ of up to €250 per year if anyone dares to exercise their fundamental right to data protection.”

  • barbara@lemmy.ml
    15·
    8 months ago

    Does that make the subscription model illegal and facebook has to pay the money back?

    • slazer2au@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      8 months ago

      I am sure FB will give those who paid 1/11 of the amount back as credit on the Facebook marketplace.

      Just like every other online retailer. Oh you paid $40 for something that we now have to refund you? Here is store credit for $9.76.

  • Zerush@lemmy.ml
    7·
    8 months ago

    The EU standard also leaves much to be desired, although it is still light years away from the (non-existent) US regulation. Now, the terms must be separated, it is legitimate for a company to finance its services, either by a monthly payment, or by placing advertisements. What is not legitimate is placing advertisements based on the user’s activities and data that are recorded and sold to third parties, because this, apart from a violation of the right to privacy, is also a real risk for the user, since they have no more control over this data and how it is used or protected. Dozens of sensitive data leaks (banking, medical and others) in the past from Fakebook, Google, Amazon… clearly show this risk. It is therefore to be welcomed that the EU cuts off the tap on these companies.

  • Gilberto@lemmy.world
    1·
    8 months ago

    Does anybody know if it’s possible for individuals to file complaints against Meta or other services that use pay or okay models? I know that some non-profits have successfully done it, but I wonder if people could do it to as a way to pressure regulators even more.

  • Sims@lemmy.ml
    813·
    8 months ago

    EU elite are the same liberal/capitalist clowns as in the US (funded by oligarchs), and they don’t give a shit about EU citizens or our privacy. All capitalist corporation act the same psychotic way and should be shut down, but this is pure protectionism against US big tech.

    Not that I complain about FB and other big tech platforms being hunted by EU, but it would be better if it was a genuine wish to protect their citizens against Capitalist psychopathy.

    • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
      4·
      8 months ago

      So I will offer constructive pushback instead of inane downvotes like everyone else.

      clowns

      This word does literally nothing except trivialize your argument and so make it less convincing.

      don’t give a shit

      Ditto. Makes you sound angry and irrational. Not much of an incentive to go on reading.

      psychotic

      psychopathy

      These are medical terms. Presumably you will claim to mean them literally and not figuratively. But really, nobody is going to assume in good faith that you’re a doctor or a psychologist. So, again, the result is to undermine your whole point and make it seem like empty bloviating.

      Hope that helps.

    • lemmyreader@lemmy.mlEnglish
      32·
      8 months ago

      EU elite are the same liberal/capitalist clowns as in the US (funded by oligarchs), and they don’t give a shit about EU citizens or our privacy. All capitalist corporation act the same psychotic way and should be shut down, but this is pure protectionism against US big tech.

      Glad to see honest and sensible take on this.

      I’m happy about the GDPR but I have my doubts about all the fines of cases versus big tech in the past. Those fines are peanuts for big tech, and where is the money of those fines going ? To protect Fortress Europe or what ? To keep paying Microsoft, Google and other cloud licenses ? It is unbelievable that some organizations in this year 2024 still come up with arguments that “there is no better offer” or “no choice” and then move parts or the complete of their IT into the cloud of USA corporations. Worrying especially given the risk that Donald Trump will be back in power. “Digital sovereignty” is a word that has been wiped from the vocabulary since years in Europe.