More than 80 Spanish media outlets are suing Meta for allegedly utilizing users’ data for advertising profiling without proper consent.
They accuse the company of violating European data protection laws and seek over 550 million euros ($598.6 million).
The Asociacion de Medios de Informacion claims Meta gained an “unfair” advantage in the advertising market through the “massive” and “systematic” use of personal data.
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AMI represents some of Spain’s big media publications, including El Mundo, El Pais, El Economista, and Cinco Dias.
The agency says Meta’s practices jeopardized the sustainability of Spain’s media landscape.
The lawsuit covers May 25, 2018, to earlier this year, alleging Meta’s non-compliance with EU data protection regulations.
Meta, which is yet to receive legal claims or documents, has not responded to the claims.
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The legal action follows a July ruling by the EU’s top court.
It emphasizes the need for user consent in certain targeted ads based on online activity, disrupting Meta’s ongoing battle to uphold its targeted advertising business model.
Meta announced in October EU users could opt for a free, ad-supported experience or a paid subscription with no ads on Facebook or Instagram.
The move is to respect users’ choices regarding personalized advertising.
