UPDATE: A Madrid court has ordered Meta to pay €479 million to 87 Spanish digital media outlets following a decisive ruling in a GDPR battle. This urgent development comes after the Asociación de Medios de Información (AMI) filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, accusing it of unfair competition and breaching EU regulations.
The verdict was delivered today, November 20, 2023, marking a significant victory for AMI, which had initially sought €550 million in damages. The court found that Meta’s actions from 2018 to 2023 disadvantaged Spanish publishers by using personal data without proper consent, undermining competition in the digital advertising space.
In a statement released after the ruling, AMI’s director general, Irene Lanzaco, emphasized the global implications of the case, stating,
“What’s at stake is the very survival of news media, which is being threatened by the predatory behaviour of a platform like Meta.”
The lawsuit highlighted a shift in Meta’s data processing practices following the implementation of GDPR in 2018. Instead of obtaining user consent, Meta justified its behavioral advertising approach, a move that the court ruled as illegitimate. Although Meta reverted to compliant practices in 2023, the court found that the company’s net revenue in Spain during this period reached nearly €5.3 billion.
Despite the ruling, Meta plans to appeal, asserting that the lawsuit is baseless and that it complies with all applicable laws. A spokesperson for Meta stated, “This claim lacks any evidence of alleged harm and wilfully ignores how the online advertising industry works.”
This ruling is anticipated to have far-reaching consequences beyond Spain, potentially setting a precedent for how digital platforms handle user data and comply with GDPR regulations across Europe. As the case unfolds, industry experts and media organizations will be closely monitoring Meta’s response and the broader implications for online advertising practices.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
