EU Privacy Regulator Intervenes to Impose Limitations on Meta's (NASDAQ: META) Advertising Methods
Martech Outlook | Friday, December 09, 2022
Ireland’s data watchdog now has one month to adopt the EU body’s decision, which could impact Meta’s (NASDAQ: META) targeted advertising policies in Europe.
FREMONT, CA: Since the EU's top GDPR watchdog intervened, Meta's (NASDAQ: META) personalised advertising strategy in Europe has been under increased scrutiny. Regarding Meta's advertising activities, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has rendered three judgments in dispute resolution proceedings. According to a person familiar with the case, it stipulates that Meta should only be permitted to run advertisements based on personal data with users' consent.
The verdict relates to GDPR allegations Max Schrems, a privacy activist, made against Meta in 2018 about the company's advertising tactics. The company's EU headquarters are located in Ireland. Hence the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) was in charge of the investigations.
Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.
According to the EDPB, the DPC's decisions in the Meta case address significant legal problems. Based on the binding decision of the EDPB, the Irish regulator now has one month to conclude. This new regulation may significantly impact the advertising strategies used by Meta throughout Europe. The corporation has set aside two billion Euros to handle anticipated European fines over the next year, although it might potentially result in additional fines.
The Irish DPC's draught decision in the Meta case was objected to by other European data watchdogs, according to the EDPB, who raised issues with the legal basis for processing, data protection principles, and the use of corrective measures, including fines. The EDPB binding rulings play a significant role in ensuring the right and consistent application of the GDPR by the national supervisory agencies.
The Irish data watchdog has already come under fire for its implementation of GDPR.
Schrems charged the DPC with inappropriately influencing other EU regulators to permit Meta to circumvent GDPR last year. These claims, according to the DPC, are baseless.
Due to worries that the authority is a bottleneck for GDPR enforcement, a delegation of MEPs called for an independent review of Ireland's DPC earlier this year.
The DPC's data protection commissioner defended the DPC's performance in enforcing GDPR earlier this year. To support the DPC's requirements and assist it in managing an increased workload with increasingly sophisticated investigation requirements, the Irish government is reportedly planning to recruit two more commissioners.
More in News

