In a significant legal development, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) has agreed to stop targeting ads at a UK woman following a years-long legal battle over privacy and data protection. The case highlights growing concerns about how tech giants use personal data for behavioral advertising—and could set a precedent for future privacy challenges in Europe and beyond.
The Case: How One Woman Took on Facebook
Who Filed the Complaint?
- Dr. Rumbi Petrova, a UK-based academic, argued that Facebook unlawfully collected and used her personal data for targeted ads without proper consent.
- She claimed that Meta’s advertising practices violated the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which still applies in the UK post-Brexit.
What Was the Legal Argument?
- Lack of Valid Consent: Under GDPR, companies must obtain freely given, specific, and informed consent before processing personal data for ads.
- Invisible Data Tracking: Meta’s algorithms allegedly profiled users based on off-Facebook activity (via cookies and pixels), which Petrova argued was done without transparency.
- Psychological Manipulation: The lawsuit also referenced concerns that hyper-targeted ads exploit user behavior, a practice criticized by privacy advocates.
The Outcome
Rather than face a prolonged court battle, Meta settled, agreeing to:
Stop targeting ads at Petrova using her personal data.
Pay an undisclosed sum in damages.
Review its data processing policies in the UK.
While the settlement is individual, privacy experts say it could encourage more lawsuits against Meta’s ad-targeting practices in Europe.
