European consumers challenge Meta paid service as privacy ‘smokescreen’

Brussels: Consumer groups from eight EU countries lodged complaints on Thursday against Meta, accusing the US company of illegally processing user data and using its “pay or consent” system as a “smokescreen” for privacy breaches.

Meta has reaped rich financial rewards by selling Facebook and Instagram user data to advertisers, but its business model has pit the US-based firm against EU regulators over data privacy.

In November, Meta launched a “pay or consent” system allowing users to withhold use of their data for ad targeting in exchange for a monthly fee — a model already facing two challenges from privacy and consumer advocates.