Meta’s Revised Data Usage Commitments Approved by UK Competition Watchdog

The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has accepted Meta’s revised proposals concerning the use of customer data in its advertising services, Reuters reported on Tuesday. This decision follows Meta’s commitment in May to limit its use of advertisers’ data in a move aimed at ensuring a fairer competitive environment.

Initially, Meta allowed advertisers to opt out of having their data used to enhance Facebook Marketplace. However, the updated proposal goes further, ensuring that advertisers’ data will not be used to improve the eCommerce platform at all, without requiring them to opt in or out. The CMA stated that these changes exceed the original commitments and guarantee that advertisers are not disadvantaged.

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“The CMA has concluded that the revisions go above and beyond the original commitments and would not leave any advertisers worse off. As a result, the CMA has accepted the proposed variation,” the authority said, per Reuters.

The CMA launched its investigation into Meta in 2021, scrutinizing the company’s practices in areas like online classified ads and online dating, particularly how it gathers and utilizes data. This investigation aligns with broader regulatory concerns about major tech companies potentially using their market power to unfairly dominate certain sectors.

Source: Reuters