In order to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Meta is introducing a new set of allowances for users about how their data is shared across it’s platforms.

The DMA is attempting to regulate some of the biggest tech companies in world to ensure they do not use their market dominance to prevent competition and create an unfair environment for consumers and other businesses in the digital economy.

The landmark set of rules and regulations places stricter guidance for the biggest names in tech to ensure that their platforms offer interoperability and fair market choice.

In order to comply with the new set of rules, Meta is providing more options and allowances for users across the EU, European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland.

For Meta, the new rules will require them to give users options on how their data is shared across their platforms and services, with notifications informing people of their options will role in the coming weeks.

As announced previously, Meta will allow users in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland will be able to use Instagram and Facebook for free with ads, or subscribe and pay to stop seeing ads across the platforms.

People who have linked their Facebook and Instagram accounts will now be able to chose if they want to continue to keep their accounts connected, or if they would like to manage their accounts separately so that their information is no longer used across accounts.

Similarly, people will be able to separate their Messenger and Facebook profiles, as well as allowing users to separate their personal Facebook profiles from their use of Facebook Marketplace and Games.

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Big Tech firms operating in Europe will have to comply with the new DMA regime by 7 March, or face strict fines and regulatory scrutiny.

Essentially, companies must treat their own platforms and services as separate, competing entities.

Time will tell if Meta’s subscription offer will be well received – Meta generates about 95% of its revenue from advertising, relying on user data for behavioural advertising as part of its service.

This past year, however, struck a major blow to Meta’s business model, as the EU court ruled that it could not use ‘legitimate interest’ as a legal basis for data collection for targeted advertising, and was in violation of GDPR.

Meta would have to ask for specific user consent to use their data for targeted advertising. The new “pay for privacy” system has already faced backlash from None of Your Business (NOYB), the data privacy rights group, for not offering a free and fair choice to users to not share their private data with advertisers.