A Spanish court has ruled that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, must pay €479 million ($552 million) in compensation to local media outlets for unfair competition and violating EU data protection rules.
The Madrid Commercial Court found Meta guilty of gaining an unfair advantage in Spain’s online advertising market by using personal data without proper consent between May 2018 and July 2023.
AMI, Spain’s main media association, had filed the lawsuit against Meta, representing 87 digital press publishers and news agencies, including Prisa (El País), Vocento (ABC), and Unidad Editorial (El Mundo).
“This isn’t a case that affects only AMI’s outlets; it has implications for media worldwide,” said Irene Lanzaco, AMI’s Director General.
“What’s at stake is the very survival of news media, threatened by Meta’s predatory behavior, disregarding our legal framework.”
The court deemed Meta’s actions a breach of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), allowing the company to dominate Spain’s advertising market.
Meta had argued that algorithms, not user data, drove personalized advertising, with its lawyer calling the compensation claims “unsupported by evidence”.
The ruling is, however, subject to appeal, and Meta hasn’t commented publicly.
The decision comes as Spain’s government increases pressure on Big Tech, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announcing an investigation into Meta’s alleged privacy violations affecting millions of users.
Spanish radio and TV stations have also sued Meta, seeking €160 million in damages.
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