- Meta responds to DMA fine with new data collection policy for EU customers
- Options for personalized or generic ads are now available.
- The European Commission will continue to monitor the adoption
Meta is set to offer European Facebook and Instagram users an option to reduce data sharing for less personalized ads, starting in January 2026, marking a satisfactory resolution to a months-long DMA battle with the European Commission.
Under the new EU model, users can choose between full data sharing for highly personalized ads and reduced data sharing for more generic ads.
The update would replace the previous “consent or pay” model that forced users to agree to data tracking and personalized ads, or pay for ad-free access.
This news comes approximately half a year after Meta was fined €200 million (in April 2025) in relation to this matter. The amount related to affected users between March 2024 (when DMA obligations became legally binding) and November 2024 (when the updated ad model was introduced to allow for less data sharing).
“Allowing free choice for businesses and consumers is at the core of the rules set out in the Digital Markets Act. This includes ensuring that citizens have full control over when and how their data is used online, and that businesses can communicate freely with their own customers,” Executive Vice President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen wrote at the time.
An updated model was approved after reviews and the EU will continue to monitor compliance. “Once implemented, the Commission will seek feedback and evidence from Meta and other relevant stakeholders on the impact and adoption of this new advertising model,” the European Commission wrote.
Without access to highly personal information, Meta ads will rely on contextual targeting, which means backend engineering work to collect different types of data in other ways.
For advertisers, this could mean that they will see weaker returns and that targeting becomes less efficient among users who have opted out.
“EU users must have a full and effective choice, which is their right under the WFD,” the Commission commented.
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