Meta Faces New Requirements From Germany's Cartel Office To Introduce New View For Facebook And Instagram Users

Meta is accused of having combined user data from multiple sources without user consent. (photo: dock.pexs)

JAKARTA - The German cartel office said Meta Platform Inc. plans to introduce a new look for its platform users, Facebook and Instagram, as a step to address anti-monopoly concerns after several years of discussions with regulators.

The Meta account center will allow users to make decisions that are "more free and informed" about whether they want to use accounts like Instagram and Facebook in an integrated or separate manner, the office said.

"We have updated the Meta account review view to show more transparently how our services work together and provide greater control to users on these features," a Meta spokesperson said.

The company will continue to work constructively with the authority, the spokesman added.

In 2019, the cartel office attempted to ban Meta - then Facebook - incorporating user data from multiple sources without user consent.

This sparked legal disputes over the years. The European Union's highest court is expected to make a decision on the matter in July.

The new feature offered by Meta to manage accounts revised the previous plans described by the cartel office as "very inadequate" and which he said did not inform consumers neutrally or transparently.

The office said its latest assessment was based on standards developed in 2019 and therefore cannot exclude that stricter requirements may be needed to meet German competition laws.

Germany is monitoring Meta closely after regulators deem it "absolutely meaning to competition across the market", this classification provides regulators with more flexibility in limiting the market power of digital companies.