"noyb Files GDPR Complaint Against Meta's Ad-Free Service, Alleging Privacy Concerns"

Privacy advocacy group noyb has filed a complaint against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, with the Austrian data protection authority. The complaint is in response to Meta's implementation of a "Pay or Okay" system, where European users are given the choice to either consent to being tracked for personalized advertising or pay up to €251.88 per year to protect their data. The cost is deemed unacceptable, and industry data suggests that only 3 percent of people want to be tracked, while more than 99 percent refuse to pay a "privacy fee". If Meta's approach is successful, it could set a precedent for other companies to follow suit, potentially making online privacy unaffordable.