The news: Meta could explore an ad-free subscription tier for UK users after settling a 2022 lawsuit with Tanya O’Carroll, a human rights campaigner who objected to having her data used for ad targeting on Meta platforms.
- O’Carroll argued in the case that she maintained a legal right to object to her personal data being used for direct marketing purposes under UK consumer laws.
- Meta asserted that its targeted advertising did not violate these laws or qualify as direct marketing, but came to an agreement that O’Carroll’s data would not be used for ad targeting on its platforms. However, the settlement did not establish this as a right for all UK users.