Dozens of French Media Outlets Sue Meta For ‘Unfair’ Practices 

Dozens of French media companies this week filed a joint lawsuit against Meta – Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – alleging illegal data collection and unfair practices in digital advertising, the latest case facing American tech giants who are coming under increasing legal pressure in Europe, France 24 reported. 

Sixty-seven media companies representing 200 publications, which include TV, radio, and print outlets such as France TV, Radio France, and Le Figaro, filed the lawsuit Wednesday at a Paris court arguing that, by ignoring the European General Data Protection Regulation, Meta stripped French media outlets of advertising revenue that would have otherwise been earned by these companies, wrote Le Monde. 

Plaintiffs say that Meta’s market dominance in the digital advertising sector is mostly due to the company employing illegal practices, including the mass collection of users’ personal data, done without their consent or knowledge – which is illegal in the European Union – and then used to provide readers and viewers with personalized ads.  

Lawyers for the French media companies noted that Meta and Google dominate the online advertising market, together accounting for 75 percent of the market and 90 percent of its growth. They added that without Meta’s use of allegedly illegal practices, French media would have seen much larger digital advertising returns. 

Meta has not commented on the case. 

In October, the company will go on trial in Spain in a case filed by more than 80 companies accusing it of employing unfair competition practices in advertising. 

Meanwhile, earlier this week, the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, fined Meta and also Apple for breaching the EU’s new digital rulebook, wrote Politico. 

Apple was fined $571 million for breaching the rules for app stores, which dictate that Apple must allow developers to inform customers about alternative offers outside the App Store, according to CNBC News. Apple plans to appeal. 

Meta was fined $228 million for their “pay for privacy” system that forces Facebook and Instagram users to pay to keep their data private from the company, or pay for an ad-free service. Meta’s chief global affairs officer, in response, accused the European Commission of wanting to halt the success of American businesses “while allowing Chinese and European companies to operate under different standards.” 

The EU’s decisions against Meta and Apple risk triggering retaliation from US President Donald Trump, who has been vocal about his displeasure with how the EU applies its rules to US tech companies operating overseas.