Privacy Advocates File First GDPR Complaints Against Facebook and Google
Digital rights group noyb, led by privacy critic Max Schrems, files immediate GDPR complaints against Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Android for forcing user consent.
Europe's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes effect and faces immediate legal challenges as privacy advocate Max Schrems files four complaints against major tech platforms. The complaints target Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Google's Android, arguing that these companies force users into agreeing to broad data collection just to access their services.
Schrems, operating through his newly formed nonprofit organization noyb, claims the platforms use a "take it or leave it" strategy that violates the core principles of the new privacy law. He points out that the GDPR requires users to have a genuine, free choice to opt out of non-essential data processing, noting that Facebook even blocks accounts of users who refuse consent.
Facebook responds by defending its preparation for the GDPR, highlighting clearer policies and upcoming tools like the Clear History feature. Despite these reassurances, noyb maintains that bundling service access with ad-targeting consent is illegal, setting the stage for a major early test of Europe's strict new privacy framework.