Meta settles UK privacy case, halts personalized ads for user
What's the story
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to stop personalized advertisements targeting a UK citizen. The decision comes as part of a landmark privacy case settlement that could affect millions of social media users. Human rights advocate Tanya O'Carroll took legal action against the $1.5 trillion company in 2022. She alleged it violated UK data laws by not honoring her request for Facebook to stop collecting and processing data for ad targeting purposes.
Case development
ICO's support strengthens O'Carroll's case against Meta
The UK's data watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), also backed O'Carroll's case. The ICO said that people have the right to object to their personal information being used for direct marketing. It also stressed that organizations must respect people's choices about how their data is used, and provide a clear way for users to opt out of their data being used this way. This endorsement from the ICO has major implications for millions of UK users on online platforms.
Case settlement
Settlement reached in landmark privacy case against Meta
The lawsuit against Meta was settled on Friday, with O'Carroll calling it a "victory" after the company agreed to stop using her personal data for targeted ads. The ICO's backing of O'Carroll's argument that users should have an "opt-out" option from their data being used to create targeted ads, was key to this settlement. This could lead to more lawsuits on similar grounds, O'Carroll said.
Future plans
Meta considers charging for ad-free version in UK
Despite disagreeing with O'Carroll's claims, Meta takes its obligations under the UK's privacy law seriously. The company is now contemplating introducing a subscription service in the UK, where users would pay for an ad-free experience. This comes after Meta's similar decision in the EU following a ruling by the European Court of Justice. "We are exploring the option of offering people based in the UK a subscription and will share further information in due course," said Meta.