Following intensive negotiations with the EU Commission, Meta is committing for the first time to giving users in member states extended choices regarding the personalization of advertisements. Such targeted advertising is linked to the extensive collection of personal data and profile building (targeting and profiling). The Brussels government institution now acknowledges that Meta, with its new self-commitment, intends to comply with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which regulates "gatekeepers" on the internet.

Starting in January 2026, Meta will offer members of its two social networks in the EU according to the Commission these options to choose from: They can still give their consent to share all their data with the operator to continue seeing fully personalized advertising. In addition, there will now be the option to share less personal data for use by Meta. Targeted advertising will be restricted at the same time.

Neither side announced specific technical details about the agreement. Furthermore, Meta continues to offer its controversial ad-free subscription model ("Pay or consent") for users who do not want to be tracked at all. A Commission spokesperson praised the announcement as "very positive news for consumers in the EU." The promised additional option represents a level "between full consent and a paywall."

Skepticism and Surveillance

In April, the Commission already fined Meta 200 million euros for non-compliance with the DMA. It has been in talks with the US company ever since. In an initial statement, Meta defended the economic importance of its data practices: personalized advertising is a crucial factor for Europe’s economy.

The umbrella organization of EU consumer organizations, Beuc, cautiously welcomed the commitment. "We will analyze very closely what Meta presents in January," announced Beuc Director General Agustín Reyna. The company has not offered consumers a fair and lawful choice regarding advertisements since November 2023. In an analysis in June, the organization criticized that the previous selection process for advertising settings on Facebook and Instagram was riddled with "dark patterns." These behavioral psychological tricks undermine users’ ability to make the choice they are entitled to under the DMA and to give voluntary consent, also in the sense of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The implementation of the changes would be closely monitored, it was stated in Brussels. The entire case is not yet closed with this commitment. The DMA requires companies like Meta to offer a less personalized but equivalent alternative to the fully personalized advertising option. After its introduction early next year, the Commission intends to ask Meta and other relevant stakeholders for feedback and evidence on the impact and acceptance of this new advertising model.

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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.