EU watchdog: Meta shouldn’t force users to pay for data protection

The European Union's central data regulator said on April 17, 2024 that online platforms like Facebook owner Meta must not force users to pay for data privacy when offering ad-free subscriptions. — AFP

BRUSSELS: Facebook owner Meta and other online platforms must not force users to pay for the right to data protection enshrined in EU law when offering ad-free subscriptions, the European data regulator said Wednesday.

"Online platforms should give users a real choice when employing 'consent or pay' models," the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) chair Anu Talus said in a statement.