A few weeks ago, we reported that NOYB, a non-profit organization that fights for privacy rights, sued all political parties in Germany after examining data collected by “Who Targets Me”, a browser extension that analyzes political microtargeting on Facebook.
Now, NOYB has launched a free tool that will allow any EU citizen who is a Facebook or Instagram user to request that Meta not use their personal data for advertising targeting and profiling purposes.
The EU General Data Protection Regulation allows European citizens to exercise their rights to stop companies from using their personal data for marketing purposes. Now, with this new form, NOYB seeks to simplify and streamline a process that EU users could already carry out but which proved to be very complex and tedious.
To submit a request using this tool, you will need to enter the form and log in with your Facebook account, or just provide NOYB with the email you use to log in to Facebook or Instagram. Once you have confirmed the data management by NOYB, NOYB will send an email on your behalf to Meta’s data protection officer, requesting the end of data processing for advertising purposes.
NOYB’s letter requests Meta to comply with the user’s objection within a maximum of five business days, in addition to emphasizing that the user does not wish to be referred to “any links, online forms or other ways to exercise my rights,” stating that the referral “should be treated as a refusal to comply with my clear request.”
Facebook has already had several serious problems with its handling of users’ personal data. Earlier this year, the Irish Data Protection Commission fined both Facebook and its “sister” Instagram for forcing users in its new terms and conditions to consent to having their personal data processed for advertising purposes.
In addition, less than a month ago, the Amsterdam court ruled that Facebook illegally processed Dutch users’ data for advertising purposes and shared this personal data with third parties without informing or requesting users’ consent.
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