EU Court Orders Meta to Limit Use of Data for Personalised Ads
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been ordered by the European Union’s highest court to reduce its use of individuals’ data for personalised advertising, marking a major victory for privacy advocates. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled in favour of privacy campaigner Max Schrems, who accused Facebook of misusing personal data for targeted ads without proper consent.
Schrems’ complaint originated in Austrian courts in 2020, after he found himself targeted with ads related to his sexual orientation, despite never disclosing such information on the platform. The CJEU ruled on Friday that EU data protection laws do not permit unrestricted use of sensitive personal data, including details about sexual orientation, for advertising purposes.
The court stated that social networks like Facebook cannot exploit all personal data indefinitely for advertising without properly distinguishing between data types or obtaining specific consent for sensitive information. Under EU law, sensitive data—such as sexual orientation, race, and health status—requires stringent conditions for its use.
Meta responded by saying that the company does not use special category data for targeted ads and highlighted its significant investments in privacy measures. A spokesperson said Meta takes privacy “very seriously” and is reviewing the court’s full judgment.
Katharina Raabe-Stuppnig, Schrems’ lawyer, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating that it restricts Meta’s ability to use large amounts of user data for advertising, even with user consent. The ruling underscores the importance of data protection principles and their impact on major tech firms.
Experts have indicated that this decision could have wider implications for Meta’s operations beyond Europe, as similar challenges may arise in other jurisdictions.
Austria’s Supreme Court, which had referred the case to the EU court, is expected to issue its final ruling in the coming months. This case adds to a series of legal battles Schrems has pursued against Meta regarding its handling of EU user data.
