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Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

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Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#41
post #9

If they can't show good ads in Europe, I assume that they will lose money and eventually have to close down here. I think that users have a right to know what happens to their data. But this is not a consent or information screen, this is the end of it. Europe tells us they do this for our own good, so we can own our data, but then they make it illegal for us to exchange our data for someone's service. Basically they…

I wouldn’t assume they will no longer be able to show good ads. Ads don’t require tracking to work and there’s plenty of ad-targetable signal that Facebook users give the platform while using the service.

For example, if you join a cycling-in-Berlin group, they can still use that information to show you ads for protein bars and lederhosen.

Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#43
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>EU privacy regulators say Facebook and Instagram must not force users to agree to tracking by putting this requirement into their terms. In the context of apps like Facebook or Instagram, which make money by tracking us to show us personalised ads, this is like saying that it is illegal for supermarkets to charge us for groceries, even if customers wanted to pay for them. What happens next? The supermarket closes, e…

Just show unpersonalized ads then. That's all.

That's precisely what I'm saying. I am an adult, and if I want to pay for a service with MY data, I should be able to consent to that. I can't, so this regulation doesn't respect me and my rights.

Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#44
post #9

If they can't show good ads in Europe, I assume that they will lose money and eventually have to close down here. I think that users have a right to know what happens to their data. But this is not a consent or information screen, this is the end of it. Europe tells us they do this for our own good, so we can own our data, but then they make it illegal for us to exchange our data for someone's service. Basically they…

> If they can't show good ads in Europe, I assume that they will lose money and eventually have to close down here.

They can't do it based on external browsing activity.

In-Facebook likes, comments, group memberships, clicks, etc. sound like they'd still be applicable, and give pretty good targeting info for a lot of folks.

Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#45

I don’t understand why Meta is always in the center on this problem, at least on most media. It is not relevant anymore. TikTok, or even Google should be the most concern now no?

It's pretty simple: Meta is still the largest network by a considerable margin and they have a longer history of abusing user data.

Worth nothing that TikTok has also increasingly been getting negative attention in the US as they grow.

Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#46
post #6

It took 5 years for this to work its way through the system. Facebook can probably just iterate a little and fight for another 5 years.

I hope Facebook doesn't survive another 5. But I won't hold my breath. Still amusing just a few years ago Facebook was described as a world government due to the influence they had. Maybe they still have that, but I've just detached myself from it to see it.

Facebook will still be around in 5 years. The question is whether it will be relevant.

People make the comparison to MySpace, because it's the most comparable service - Facebook de-throned it as the king of social media.

And incidentally, MySpace is still around. They survived the de-throning by pivoting, which is inevitably what Facebook will do. I think we've seen the groundwork for it already.

Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#47
post #9

If they can't show good ads in Europe, I assume that they will lose money and eventually have to close down here. I think that users have a right to know what happens to their data. But this is not a consent or information screen, this is the end of it. Europe tells us they do this for our own good, so we can own our data, but then they make it illegal for us to exchange our data for someone's service. Basically they…

If Facebook were to suddenly go away we, all of us, would suddenly find ourselves plunged back into that time before Facebook even existed. Does anyone else remember what it was like then?

Oh, that's right — those were good times.

;-)

Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#49
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just show unpersonalized ads then. That's all.

That's precisely what I'm saying. I am an adult, and if I want to pay for a service with MY data, I should be able to consent to that. I can't, so this regulation doesn't respect me and my rights.

You can, it's just not the undeniable default anymore.

Re: Facebook tracking is illegal in Europe

#50
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but then they make it illegal for us to exchange our data for someone's service They (the EU) don't and I don't understand why you would understand it that way.

>EU privacy regulators say Facebook and Instagram must not force users to agree to tracking by putting this requirement into their terms. In the context of apps like Facebook or Instagram, which make money by tracking us to show us personalised ads, this is like saying that it is illegal for supermarkets to charge us for groceries, even if customers wanted to pay for them. What happens next? The supermarket closes, e…

> this is like saying that it is illegal for supermarkets to charge us for groceries, even if customers wanted to pay for them.

More like banning the import of substandard and dangerous electronics, even if customers really want to plug their phone into a 50-cent charger from Aliexpress - because side-effects bear too high cost on the society.

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