Spanish media faces "Meta" in court over ads exploiting user data

The Madrid Commercial Court witnessed the closing sessions in the case brought by the Spanish Media Association against "Meta", the owner of "Facebook" and "Instagram", demanding compensation exceeding half a billion euros, on the grounds of violating European data protection laws and unfair competition in the digital advertising market.

The association, which includes major Spanish media groups such as El País, El Mundo, La Vanguardia, and ABC, accuses "Meta" of collecting internet users' data and exploiting it to target personalized ads without prior consent, giving it an unfair advantage over media that comply with European regulations.

The association's lawyer, Nicolás González Cuéllar, stated in his argument: "We are defending our very existence, as press freedom is essential for society. We need a pluralistic media, not oligarchic platforms that dominate the market." The lawsuit demands compensation of up to 551 million euros (about 647 million dollars).

In response, "Meta" defended itself, affirming its compliance with European laws, and described the case as "baseless", considering that the claims overlook the developments in the digital advertising sector. The company's lawyer, Javier de Carvajal, explained that "algorithms have become more important than individual data in generating targeted ads".

Judge Teodoro Ladrón Roda announced at the end of the session that "the case is now ready for judgment", with a decision expected in the coming weeks, in a legal confrontation that could have wide-ranging implications for the relationship between European media and major tech platforms.