Consumer groups, including from Greece, have filed a privacy complaint against Meta

Consumer groups from eight countries in the European BEUC network, including Greece, filed complaints against Meta with their national data protection authorities on Thursday, alleging that it does not comply with GDPR principles on the processing of personal data.

The groups have asked their national authorities to take action against Facebook’s owner for alleged violations of the block’s privacy rules in collecting user data. Consumer complaints from the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain added to previous complaints that Meta was collecting user data, Reuters noted.

Groups object to the system “pay or accept”, which Meta introduced to Facebook and Instagram to prevent users from receiving advertising. According to consumers, this violates the rules EU and acts “like a smoke screen”to divert consumers’ attention from illegal data processing.

Consumer groups said Meta does not comply with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules on fair processing, data minimization and purpose limitation, and the company’s data collection and processing has no legal basis.

“Surveillance-based business models create all sorts of problems under the GDPR and it is time for data protection authorities to stop Meta’s unfair processing of data and the infringement of people’s fundamental rights.”Ursula Pahl, Deputy Director General of the European Consumer Organization, said in a statement.

She also criticized Meta’s recent launch of paid ad-free subscription services on Facebook and Instagram in Europe, which the company says is aimed at complying with new EU technology rules.

Critics say this amounts to making users pay for their privacy. Those who don’t mind advertising can continue to use the service for free.

“Meta’s offering to consumers is smoke and mirrors covering what is, at its core, the same old collection of all sorts of sensitive information about people’s lives, which the company then monetizes through its invasive advertising model.”said Pachl.

Meta said the subscription changes are in response to regulatory actions and court rulings, according to Reuters. “Ad-free subscription complies with the latest changes in legislation, recommendations and decisions of leading European regulators and courts in recent years, said a Meta representative. – This is particularly in line with the guidance of Europe’s highest court: in July, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) approved the subscription model as a way for people to consent to the processing of data for personalized advertising.”

PS Everyone who wants to receive normal information, and not the garbage that Facebook produces, switches to Telegram, which is what I wish for you.

Athens News Channel on Telegram link

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