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GDPR finally bites Meta: The Media Roundup

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Meta (Facebook and Instagram) prohibited from using personal data for advertising, third case on WhatsApp pending

You’ll all know by now that GDPR regulations require explicit ‘opt-in’ consent for personalised advertising. You also may have noticed that Facebook and Instagram bypassed the consent requirement by adding a clause to their T&Cs for advertising.

Complaints filed on the day GDPR became applicable have been decided this week, and they have huge ramifications for Meta. The European Data Protection Board’s final decision is that Meta cannot rely on a claim of contractual necessity to run behavioural ads, and will have to ask users for their consent.

Oh, and the company is being hit with a €390 million fine. Meta is expected to appeal and may use legitimate interest as their primary justification. If they have to abide by this, it’ll make Apple’s dent in their revenues from opt-ins look pretty small.

The media trends that will define 2023

From ongoing changes in advertising markets, pressures on consumer spending due to inflation and the cost of living crisis, and evolving media habits and preferences, 2023 is certainly not set to be an easy year for the industry. Damian Radcliffe pulls together the biggest challenges and trends facing media and publishing companies today, as well as some thoughts on how to address them.

Five trends that will shape hybrid work in the media

If you haven’t had chance to read the Reuters Institute’s ‘Changing Newsrooms’ report, this piece by Jacob Granger pulls out some of the most interesting findings. I’m a huge advocate of flexible working as it is vital to keeping talented parents and caregivers in work, but there are also complexities which many publishers are still trying to navigate.

The last 12 months in subscriptions: publishers work to prove value

2022 saw publishers working to convince customers they’re worth the money. From content bundles to exclusive newsletters and podcasts, the subscription market is having to evolve. Peter Houston rounds up the year in subscriptions as part of our Media Moments 2022 report.


This content originally appeared in The Media Roundup, a daily newsletter from Media Voices. Subscribe here: