Facebook and Instagram's “pay or consent” ad model violates the DMA, says the EU
What is the role of Margrethe Vestager in this case against Meta?
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission's executive vice president in charge of competition policy, is leading the case against Meta2. She has been instrumental in pursuing antitrust cases against big tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Amazon. Vestager is responsible for enforcing the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and ensuring that companies comply with its regulations.
What previous charge involves Apple related to the DMA's enforcement?
The European Commission has charged Apple with violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA) due to its App Store "steering" policies, which allegedly prevent sufficient competition. This marks the first formal investigation into a tech giant's compliance with the DMA since it came into force in March 2023.
What specific violations has the EU charged Meta with under the DMA?
The EU has charged Meta with violating Article 5(2) of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) due to its "pay or consent" advertising model for Facebook and Instagram users. The model forces users to either pay a subscription fee for an ad-free version or consent to the ad-supported version, without offering a third option that uses less personal data for ad targeting but remains free to use.