Meta will soon be required to obtain the approval of European users before using their personal information to provide tailored ads to those users on Facebook and Instagram.
A European Union-wide prohibition on Meta's management of user data, revealed on Wednesday, proposes broad limits that may be finalized as soon as late next week.
It's just the latest restraining order against Meta's business model in Europe, where the company has battled to integrate its advertising activities with EU privacy requirements. It also comes as Meta prepares to launch a subscription plan in the EU for consumers who do not want personally targeted advertisements as part of their Instagram or Facebook experiences.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), a body of EU data authorities representing a number of EU member nations, issued the limits.
Meta must cite one of many required legal grounds under EU legislation known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in order to acquire and use people's personal data for advertising purposes.
Meta previously claimed that its data practices were justified under GDPR because it enters into a form of contract with users that it must satisfy when they accept its terms of service. Alternatively, Meta claimed that the practices were justified since Meta had a "legitimate interest" in processing user data in order to conduct its business.