Meta has announced a change in policy for users in Europe.
The company plans to give users more options to control how they use Instagram and Facebook in countries that are part of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland.
This shift comes as Meta prepares for new regulations from the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that will start being enforced in March 2024 across Europe. The DMA aims to create fairer competition in the technology industry.
By voluntarily giving users more control now, Meta is trying to get ahead of the regulatory requirements that the DMA will impose on large tech companies like Meta in Europe.
To comply with the demands of the new Digital Markets Act, Meta is committing substantial resources to follow the law and also improve users’ control over their data and experiences on Meta’s platforms.
The DMA is part of the European Union’s larger plan to promote fair competition, innovation, and consumer options in the digital marketplace.
Soon, Meta will begin sending notices to its users in Europe explaining how they can control their data sharing between Instagram and Facebook.
Users can keep linking their Instagram and Facebook accounts through Meta’s account management portal, or they can choose to separate the accounts, which would stop their information from being shared across the platforms.
Meta assures that the fundamental features and protections that users have come to expect will remain intact.
Facebook Messenger users will have two options. They can keep their Messenger account connected to their Facebook profile or create a new, separate one not linked to Facebook.
Making an independent Messenger account means users can still use Messenger’s core features like messaging and calls, but without providing any of their Facebook data.
Marketplace users will have two options for how their data is handled. They can choose to have their Facebook information connected to their Marketplace account or opt out of sharing Facebook data.
Users who don’t share their Facebook info can still buy and sell on Marketplace. However, if they opt out of sharing Facebook data, communications about transactions will be through email rather than Messenger.
Gamers who use Facebook have two options for their gaming experience. One option allows Facebook to use their data to customize the games, including suggesting new games and enabling multiplayer features with friends. The other option doesn’t employ any of the user’s Facebook data, which limits them to only certain single-player games without personalized recommendations or social features.
Meta has voiced approval of the Digital Markets Act to promote competition and fairness online. The company said it’s dedicated to ensuring its offerings in Europe follow the DMA’s rules while continuing to provide benefits to users.
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