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Now the EU is asking questions about Meta's 'pay or be tracked' consent model

TechCrunch · 8m

The European Union (EU) has sent Facebook and Instagram owner Meta a formal request for information (RFI) under the Digital Services Act (DSA), regarding its controversial "pay or be tracked" consent model. The EU is seeking more details about the "Subscription for no Ads options" provided to users, particularly regarding Meta's compliance with obligations related to advertising practices, recommender systems, and risk assessments. The ad-free subscription model requires users to pay monthly fees or agree to be tracked for targeted advertising, which has raised concerns about informed and freely given consent under EU data protection law. Complaints have been filed against Meta for potential breaches of data and consumer protection laws. The EU's RFI comes as part of its role in enforcing the DSA's rules for larger online platforms.