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Germany closes Meta case after data measures agreed

Economic Times · 2m

- Germany's antitrust watchdog, the Federal Cartel Office, has announced that Meta (formerly Facebook) has implemented measures to give users more control over their data, resolving a long-standing dispute. - Meta's new measures include the introduction of an accounts center, allowing users to keep data from different social networks separate, as well as cookie settings to separate Facebook data from other data. - Users will receive prominent notifications with direct links to consent options when accessing Facebook, and Meta will only store data temporarily for security purposes. - These measures were deemed effective by the cartel office, resulting in the closure of the case. Meta has also withdrawn a pending appeal against the decision. - The cartel office's 2019 order has prompted significant changes to the way Meta handles user data, with the main change being that consent is no longer required for Meta to collect and link data to user accounts, even if the data is unrelated to Facebook usage. - The Federal Cartel Office has increased scrutiny on major tech companies, including Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Google, thanks to the new German Competition Act, granting them greater powers to address anti-competitive behavior.