Meta’s Subscription Model Breaches EU Digital Markets Act, Commission Alleges

Meta claims its policies are in compliance with the Digital Markets Act as well as with rulings made by the Court of Justice of the European Union.

A smartphone and a computer screen displaying the logos of the social media platform Facebook and its parent company Meta are seen in Toulouse, southwestern France, on Jan. 12, 2023. Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images

The European Commission has told Meta that its subscription model, which requires European Facebook and Instagram users to either provide personal data to access the platform or pay to retain privacy, violates the Digital Markets Act (DMA), based on preliminary findings.

In November 2023, Meta introduced a subscription option for the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland.