Meta will let European users opt-out of tracking on Facebook and Instagram

The significant sanctions imposed by the European Union on Meta for its advertising policy in Europe seem to force the company to make a very important, even historic decision that will radically change its operating model in the region.

Although it does not intend to ask users for consent from the outset to continue to monitor their activity for serving targeted ads, Meta will offer an opt-out option to European Union users.

Just last January, Meta was fined $410 million for being found in violation of GDPR advertising rules and transparency principles, with three months to comply. The timeframe is tightening, which is why it will change the way it operates in Europe from April 5.

As The Wall Street Journal reports, the process will not be simple for the user. First, you'll have to be a European citizen and then you'll have to fill out an online form detailing any objections you have over the company's tracking policy for targeted advertising. Meta will then evaluate these requests and proceed to opt-out the user in question on Facebook and Instagram.

This is the first time Meta has taken such an action on its own, as in the case of iOS it is essentially being forced by Apple and its famous App Tracking Transparency to respect the choice of users who do not wish to be tracked by the company's advertising algorithms.