Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has settled with Tanya O’Carroll, agreeing to stop using her personal data to target her with advertisements. This decision follows a legal battle initiated by O'Carroll in 2022, where she challenged the company's targeted advertising system as being a form of direct marketing. The cast signals a watershed point in the long-simmering fight between data privacy and user control in the battle of digital platforms.
O'Carroll, who created her Facebook account nearly two decades ago, argued that Meta's advertising practices were invasive and violated her rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). She pursued a lawsuit to stop Meta from using her data to target ads. Despite Meta's robust settings and tools designed to give users control over their data and advertising preferences, O'Carroll contended that these measures were insufficient.
Rob Jones, a spokesperson for the ICO, struck a tough tone in a statement released today. Most importantly, they argued that online targeted advertising should be regulated as direct marketing. They emphasized the importance of respecting people's choices about how their data is used, stating, "This means giving users a clear way to opt out of their data being used in this way."
Meta, on the other hand, objected to the idea that its targeted advertising system constitutes direct marketing. They also contended that requiring businesses to provide services without compensation was unreasonable. They highlighted the economic benefits of their ad-supported model. A spokesperson from Meta stated, "Facebook and Instagram cost a significant amount of money to build and maintain, and these services are free for British consumers because of personalised advertising."
"Our services support British jobs and economic growth by connecting businesses with the people most likely to buy their products, while enabling universal access to online services regardless of income," said a Meta spokesperson.
As a result of this outcry, Meta has stopped using O’Carroll’s data for direct marketing. This is an encouraging decision to be sure, even in light of ongoing dissent. This case has sparked larger conversations about user rights and privacy. It would encourage others to sue and seek to end similar practices. O’Carroll shared, calling it a “gateway” for other people to take action and assert their rights with the assurance that there's regulatory backing.
"If other people want to exercise their right, I believe they now have a gateway to do so knowing that the UK regulator will back them up," stated Ms O'Carroll.
Meta continues to look for other ways to support users in the UK. They’re considering a monthly subscription model, like the one that exists across most of Europe, where citizens can pay to stop seeing ads. The company has promised to provide more information about this service soon.