Do you still have to pay for personal privacy? Meta Company has another “strange” move to collect user data

Cybernews website news, relevant people said that if the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) does not clearly point out that Meta’s “pay or consent” model violates EU privacy regulations, then this model is likely to be copied on a large scale, jeopardizing the The right of free choice for millions of European citizens.

Since late last year, Facebook and Instagram users in the EU have had to pay a subscription fee to use ad-free versions that do not collect their data for targeted ads.

In July 2023, after the European Court of Justice (CJEU) ruled that Meta's selling of user data as its main source of profit was illegal (PDF), Meta immediately adopted this "pay or consent" model to collect user data.

In November 2023, Meta stated in updated terms: "In Europe, users can choose to subscribe to our products and enjoy ad-free services, or choose a free version that contains ads. We have updated the terms and privacy The policy explains the above.”

Privacy advocacy groups have long criticized this model, which they call a blatant circumvention tactic that allows Meta to continue to bypass the European Union's strict privacy and security regulations known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This is not a good thing for the EU. After all, Meta charges users for not consenting to personalized ad tracking, rather than simply requiring them to answer “yes” or “disagree.”

Currently, about 30 organizations have jointly published an open letter urging the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to clearly express their opposition to this policy.

The letter pointed out that the opinions of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) will shape the direction of data protection and the Internet in the next few years, and it is extremely important to ensure that the opinions realize the true "free choice" of data subjects in the processing of personal data.

Vienna-based digital rights organization NOYB (None Of Your Business) has taken further action. The organization collected data on the "pay or consent" strategy currently implemented by some EU member states and found that the cost of protecting personal privacy is already quite high.

According to NOYB, 30% of the top 100 websites in Germany already use the "pay or consent" strategy to increase the consent rate for obtaining user privacy. If users want to avoid tracking personalized ads while using these websites, they need to pay more than 1,500 euros per year; in Spain, the subscription fee is about 1,460 euros; in France, the subscription fee exceeds 1,100 euros.

The organization said: "If the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) legalizes Meta's model, more and more companies will follow suit and adopt the 'pay or consent' model to obtain user privacy, which will make basic privacy Rights exist in name only. Even now, the cost of protecting privacy is beyond most people’s budgets, and the situation is likely to get worse in the future.”

In response to this incident, the joint organizations hope that the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) will decide whether to object to Meta’s policy before the end of March.