Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Tuesday a shift in its advertising approach for European users, now allowing them to opt for “less personalized ads.” This change comes as the company seeks to address rising regulatory concerns from the European Union over user privacy and Big Tech’s influence.
The update will roll out in the coming weeks, allowing users in the EU to choose ads based on “context,” targeting them according to session activity rather than using detailed personal data. Meta clarified that these ads would still consider age, gender, and location and would include some unskippable elements. Additionally, Meta plans to cut ad-free subscription prices by 40% in Europe, aligning with regulators’ calls for fairer practices.
This policy shift is partially driven by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a groundbreaking EU regulation aimed at limiting Big Tech’s market dominance, which went into effect earlier this year. The European Commission is monitoring Meta’s compliance closely, stating that this new ad model is not officially endorsed and that the EU’s main goal remains full compliance with privacy standards.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) chair, Anu Talus, welcomed Meta’s new choice of less detailed profiling for ads, though the proposal will still undergo regulatory scrutiny. This development follows a recent court ruling obligating Meta to limit personal data use in targeted advertising, a victory for privacy advocates such as Max Schrems.