Spanish media outlets file $600 million lawsuit against Meta for unethical advertising practices

A collective of 83 Spanish media outlets has initiated a 550 million euro ($600 million) lawsuit against Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, citing unfair competition in the advertising market. 

The AMI media association announced on Monday that the newspapers collectively filed the lawsuit with a commercial court, alleging that Meta violated EU data protection rules from 2018 to 2023. 

They argue that Meta's extensive use of personal data from its Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp platforms provides an unfair advantage in creating and offering personalized ads, constituting unfair competition.

Meta's response to the lawsuit is still pending. The complainants, including Prisa and Vocento, claim that most of the ads placed by Meta use personal data obtained without explicit consent from clients, violating the EU General Data Protection Regulation. 

A lawyer representing the newspapers stated that similar legal proceedings could be initiated in any other EU country due to the alleged violation of European regulations. 

This lawsuit is the latest effort by traditional media to challenge tech giants in court to safeguard their interests. Media organizations worldwide have faced challenges in courts and legislatures to ensure fair compensation from tech giants for using and sharing their content. 

In Spain, media successfully confronted Alphabet's Google News service, leading to its shutdown in 2014 and eventual reopening in 2022 under new legislation that allows media outlets to negotiate fees directly with the tech giant. 

Following the Spanish case, several countries, including Canada, have implemented regulations to compel internet giants to pay for news.