Meta Agrees to Stop Facebook Targeted Ads After Legal Challenge by UK Woman
Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has agreed to stop showing targeted adverts to a British woman who took legal action over how her personal data was being used. The decision marks a notable step forward for individuals in the UK who want more control over how their information is used online.
Legal Action Over Targeted Advertising
Tanya O’Carroll, 37, who works in the tech policy and human rights field, brought a legal claim against Meta after discovering that Facebook was using her personal information to tailor adverts to her interests and life events.
She filed the case in 2022, arguing that Meta’s targeted advertising system violated her right to object under UK data protection laws. She claimed the adverts were invasive and based on information she had not knowingly shared with the platform.
Speaking publicly, Ms O’Carroll said she had long been uncomfortable with how Facebook tracks users and serves them ads based on assumptions about their behaviour and private life. She said, “I don’t think we should have to accept these unfair terms where we consent to all that invasive data tracking and surveillance.”
Pregnancy Triggered Privacy Concerns
Her concerns became clear in 2017 when she noticed a sudden change in the type of adverts appearing on her Facebook account. Within weeks of becoming pregnant, her feed was filled with adverts about babies, parenting, and motherhood — despite her not having shared the news with anyone, even close friends or family.
“I just found it unnerving,” she said. “This was before I’d even told people in my private life, and yet Facebook had already determined that I was pregnant.”
Ms O’Carroll had created her Facebook account nearly two decades ago and had never explicitly agreed to the kind of data use that resulted in those targeted ads.
UK Data Watchdog Backs Case
The UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), supported her view, stating that targeted advertising should be seen as a form of direct marketing. Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), individuals have the right to object to their data being used for direct marketing purposes.
Meta had argued that its adverts target groups of at least 100 people and therefore don’t qualify as direct marketing aimed at individuals. However, the ICO disagreed, stating that companies must give users a clear way to opt out of their personal data being used in this way.
An ICO spokesperson said, “Organisations must respect people’s choices about how their data is used.”
Meta Backs Down but Disagrees
Following the legal action, Meta has agreed to stop using Ms O’Carroll’s personal data for targeted advertising. She described this outcome as effectively “turning off” all the personalised ads on her Facebook account.
However, Meta still disputes her claims. A company spokesperson said, “No business can be mandated to give away its services for free. Facebook and Instagram cost a significant amount of money to build and maintain, and these services are free for British consumers because of personalised advertising.”
Meta also said its platforms support jobs and help small businesses by connecting them with people most likely to be interested in their products. The company insisted it would continue to promote personalised advertising while giving users more control.
Subscription Model Being Considered
Meta has already introduced a paid subscription service in parts of Europe, allowing users to browse Facebook and Instagram without ads. The company confirmed it is exploring the option of offering the same ad-free service in the UK, although no date has been confirmed.
Ms O’Carroll, meanwhile, hopes her case will encourage others to push back against how their data is being used. She said the legal outcome had created a “gateway” for others to object to targeted advertising and that the support from the ICO showed regulators were willing to uphold people’s rights.
“If other people want to exercise their right, they now have a way forward,” she said.
