DMA Enforcement Prompts Meta to Rethink Ad Targeting for EU Users

Key Takeaways

• Meta Ad Choice Commitment: Meta will offer EU Facebook and Instagram users a choice between fully personalized ads and a less data-driven ad experience starting January 2026.
• DMA Non-Compliance Trigger: The change follows an April 2025 non-compliance decision under the Digital Markets Act related to user choice and data use.
• First-Time Alternative Model: This is the first time Meta has offered such an alternative ad model on its social networks in the EU.
• Ongoing Commission Scrutiny: The European Commission will monitor rollout, gather feedback from Meta and stakeholders, and assess whether users truly have “full and effective choice” as required under the DMA.

Deep Dive

The European Commission said it has formally acknowledged Meta’s commitment to introduce a clearer, more meaningful decision point for Facebook and Instagram users across the EU. Beginning in January 2026, people will be offered two distinct paths—continue sharing their full data footprint for highly tailored advertising, or opt for a version of the apps that relies on less personal information and delivers more limited ad personalization.

For Meta, it is the first time such an alternative has been made available on its social networks.

This change didn’t come voluntarily. In April 2025, the Commission found Meta in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) over how it handled user consent and issued a non-compliance decision, setting off months of back-and-forth with the tech giant to get to this point. Officials say the goal is to make sure users actually have a choice, rather than being nudged into pervasive tracking.

Once the new model launches, the Commission plans to monitor how it plays out on the ground, including how many users choose the less personalized experience and how advertisers respond. Brussels also expects Meta and “other relevant stakeholders” to provide data and evidence on the impact of the change.

Regulators made one point clear, which is that under the DMA, Europeans are entitled to “full and effective choice” in how their personal information is used, and they intend to keep pushing until that becomes the norm across the digital economy.

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