Louis: Incident: Schibsted 'Pay or Okay' cookie consent fee system; GDPR complaint filed June 3, 2026

2026-06-05T01:00:51Z

Incident: Schibsted 'Pay or Okay' cookie consent fee system; GDPR complaint filed June 3, 2026

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{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Schibsted
|StartDate=2026-04-01
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Privacy
|Description=Schibsted charges a monthly fee to decline behavioral ad tracking on its news sites
}}

'''Schibsted "Pay or Okay" cookie consent fee''' is a system under which the Nordic media company Schibsted requires readers of its news sites to either consent to behavioral advertising profiling or pay a monthly fee to decline it. Schibsted launched the model, branded "Schibsted Ad Choices,"<ref name="schibsted-statement" /> across its Swedish properties on March 24, 2026<ref name="noyb" /><ref name="m24" /> and expanded it to Norway in April 2026.<ref name="ppc-april" /> In Norway, subscribers are charged an additional 39 NOK per month to refuse personalized tracking;<ref name="ppc-april" /> in Sweden, non-subscribers pay 49 SEK and subscribers 39 SEK per month.<ref name="assured" /> The fee does not remove advertising but only stops the data profiling behind it.<ref name="noyb" /><ref name="assured" /> On June 3, 2026, the privacy organization [[noyb]] and the Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) filed a formal complaint with the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, asking it to declare the practice unlawful under the [[General Data Protection Regulation]].<ref name="noyb" />

== Background ==

Schibsted was founded in 1839 and grew into one of the largest media companies in the Nordic region, operating in Norway and Sweden.<ref name="schibsted-about" /> On June 8, 2024, the company reorganized so that its news operations became a stand-alone media company, separated from its marketplace, growth, and investment divisions.<ref name="schibsted-about" /> The reorganization left the news division dependent on digital subscriptions and advertising to fund its journalism.<ref name="schibsted-about" />

The publications affected by the 2026 system include VG (Verdens Gang), Aftenposten, Bergens Tidende, Stavanger Aftenblad, and the financial outlet E24 in Norway, and Aftonbladet, Svenska Dagbladet, and the broadcaster TV4 in Sweden.<ref name="noyb" /><ref name="ppc-april" />

Schibsted's media properties draw revenue from two streams: paid subscriptions and digital advertising. The advertising side relies on behavioral profiling, tracking reader activity through cookies and tracking pixels to serve personalized advertisements.<ref name="schibsted-statement" /> As European regulators tightened rules on non-consensual tracking, Schibsted introduced the fee model in response.<ref name="schibsted-statement" />

== The "Pay or Okay" system ==

=== How it works ===

When a reader visits a Schibsted website, a consent management interface presents two options. The reader can consent to having personal data processed for personalized behavioral advertising, or refuse that processing and pay a monthly fee to continue using the site.<ref name="ppc-april" /> A reader who refuses both consent and payment is denied access to the content.<ref name="europa-edpb" />

noyb describes this binary structure as forced consent. The organization cites behavioral research finding that, under such conditions, recorded consent rates rise to beyond 99%, while independent studies found that only 0.16% to 7% of people genuinely want to be tracked online.<ref name="noyb" /> Max Schrems, founder of noyb, characterized the resulting figures in a statement accompanying the complaint:

<blockquote>''The use of 'Pay or Okay' leads to a consent rate beyond 99%, despite the fact that only a small number of people wants to be tracked online. In reality, 'Pay or Okay' leads to nothing but a North Korean consent rate.''</blockquote><ref name="noyb" />

=== Fee structure ===

The fee is charged on top of any existing subscription rather than as part of it. In Norway, existing subscribers pay an additional 39 NOK per month to opt out of tracking.<ref name="ppc-april" /> In Sweden, non-subscribers pay 49 SEK per month and subscribers pay 39 SEK per month to access a site without tracking, an amount paying subscribers are charged solely to exercise a data protection right.<ref name="assured" />

Paying the fee does not produce an ad-free experience. Swedish coverage of the Aftonbladet rollout reported that readers who pay still see advertising; the fee changes the advertising from personalized to contextual rather than removing it.<ref name="assured" /> One analysis of the model summarized what the payment buys:

<blockquote>''what is being sold is not access to journalism, convenience, or a premium experience, but a way out of profiling.''</blockquote><ref name="assured" />

=== Access denial ===

There is no third option for a reader who neither consents nor pays. Refusing both results in a hard block on the content.<ref name="europa-edpb" /> noyb argues that this exclusion is what converts the consent on offer from a free choice into a financial transaction, because the only alternative to consent carries a monetary cost or loss of access.<ref name="noyb" />

== Regulatory response ==

=== Datatilsynet ===

Before any formal complaint was filed, Norway's Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet) issued a critical public statement on April 30, 2026, noting that it had received inquiries from consumers about the model.<ref name="ppc-april" /> Datatilsynet director Line Coll stated:

<blockquote>''This is not good news for the privacy of most people. Privacy is a human right that should not be paid for. We are concerned that privacy on the internet will be reserved for the rich, that it will become a luxury item.''</blockquote><ref name="ppc-april" />

Coll said the authority questioned whether consent can be considered voluntary when the alternative is a financial cost, and that low-income individuals, young people, and children are most affected because they have the least ability to pay to retain their privacy.<ref name="ppc-april" />

=== noyb and Norwegian Consumer Council complaint ===

On June 3, 2026, noyb and the Norwegian Consumer Council filed a joint complaint against Schibsted with Datatilsynet.<ref name="noyb" /> The complaint makes three principal requests. It alleges that the model violates the GDPR requirement that consent be freely given, because tying site access to consent for commercial advertising turns that consent into a coerced transaction.<ref name="noyb" /> It asks Datatilsynet to assess the model's legality and declare the practice unlawful.<ref name="noyb" /> It also asks the authority to issue a fine.<ref name="noyb" />

Finn Myrstad, director of digital policy at the Norwegian Consumer Council, said in a statement accompanying the complaint that tracking enables detailed profiling of behavior and vulnerability, and that ''"Privacy is a fundamental right, not a premium option."''<ref name="noyb" />

=== Swedish IMY involvement ===

Schibsted's Swedish rollout drew complaints before the Norwegian filing. As of early June 2026, the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) had received at least 56 complaints from citizens about the system as implemented on Aftonbladet and TV4.<ref name="noyb" />

== GDPR legal framework ==

Under Article 4(11) of the General Data Protection Regulation, consent must be a ''"freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication"'' of the data subject's wishes.<ref name="europa-edpb" /> Article 7(4) provides that, in assessing whether consent is freely given, account must be taken of whether the provision of a service is made conditional on consent to processing of personal data that is not necessary for that service.<ref name="europa-edpb" />

On April 17, 2024, the European Data Protection Board adopted Opinion 08/2024 on "Consent or Pay" models, requested by the Dutch, Norwegian, and Hamburg data protection authorities following Meta's introduction of a paid ad-free tier for Facebook and Instagram.<ref name="europa-edpb" /> The opinion concluded that, in most cases, consent-or-pay models offered by large online platforms do not meet the GDPR's requirements for valid consent.<ref name="europa-edpb" /> It stated that personal data should not be treated as a tradeable commodity and that the right to data protection should not be something users must buy.<ref name="simmons" /> The EDPB advised that platforms develop an equivalent alternative that does not rely on behavioral advertising, such as a free option supported by contextual advertising.<ref name="europa-edpb" />

The EDPB opinion addressed large online platforms such as [[Meta]]. Law firm analyses note that Schibsted's legal position is expected to turn in part on whether the same standard applies to a regional publisher, a question the complaint puts before Datatilsynet.<ref name="weil" /><ref name="europa-edpb" />

== Schibsted's defense ==

Schibsted announced the "Schibsted Ad Choices" program in February 2026 and has defended it as a response to regulatory change. Øyulf Hjertenes, executive vice president for Norway, framed the change as a forced adaptation:

<blockquote>''This is not a step we take because we want to, but because we have to. When the conditions for advertising-funded journalism change, we must adapt in order to maintain a sustainable model for independent journalism.''</blockquote><ref name="schibsted-statement" />

Hjertenes said the company faces a potential annual revenue decline of 400 to 500 million NOK across Norway and Sweden if stricter interpretations of the GDPR remove its ability to use targeted advertising.<ref name="schibsted-statement" /><ref name="assured" /> Fredric Karén, executive vice president for Sweden, said in an interview with the Swedish broadcaster SVT that if readers could reject tracking without a fee, a large share would do so, which the company argues would undermine the funding of its journalism.<ref name="assured" /> Schibsted rejects the characterization that its consent is coerced, describing the fee as the value of the personalized advertising revenue lost when a reader opts out.<ref name="assured" />

== Consumer response ==

The rollout of the 39 NOK fee prompted public criticism in Norway.<ref name="m24" /> Norwegian outlets including Medier24 covered the system and the complaint against it.<ref name="m24" /> The 56 complaints recorded by the Swedish IMY reflect comparable public reaction in Sweden.<ref name="noyb" />

== Current status ==

As of June 2026, Schibsted has not modified or removed the system, which remains active across Aftenposten, VG, Aftonbladet, and its other properties.<ref name="noyb" /> Datatilsynet has received the June 3 complaint and must conduct a formal investigation to determine whether the model meets the "freely given" consent standard of Article 7 of the GDPR.<ref name="ppc-april" /> No fine has been imposed.

== See also ==

* [[General Data Protection Regulation]]
* [[Meta]]
* [[noyb]]

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="noyb">{{Cite web |title=Norway: Schibsted's "Pay or Okay" hit with complaint by noyb and the Norwegian Consumer Council |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGen49fN7ltG2F9U4XYS8IReB3VAjaaxU1_WXDrqS7feRCr_1RbIdWvLo0tC8wRJ-H2F1NMyKfOdH06x1AQx3t6OGkfiWFOCt125QvdSctE6TBA0lq9AUFw2HzOVyrFsiJtzmmxH_guSf-D8jCNmduxii3lvNglb-raWQoy02zQc9YWnBgqZqXuU3A= |website=noyb.eu |date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
<ref name="ppc-april">{{Cite web |title=Schibsted "Pay or Okay" model and Datatilsynet response |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEdHiQ1Nng2Es-NqI0boXv35CM4-EuUndaOaoE_GsQsrwvZtII12v74EanhqWaMjCZE_xYntKlO7ieFUI4aGWhwk89j5DcjAF8rT3OEABvE5RG9DlxxXJxkremgi2zZZ-7naLUBfvDyv6qEEaNVHksWRHDNmKusJ0ITUlcJwNGj60GKdPhEVSvzDhXoEw== |website=ppc.land |date=2026-04-30 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref><ref name="assured">{{Cite web |title=Schibsted, Aftonbladet och betalningen för att slippa profilering |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHpaBtB619Le_CYb5w1LbizlybyKPUTG6Xpr-drQgzioEO08nwYdQjpkoaD_aBXOaG8-hQhYKTDn8CQr5iiE66M5WkdqJnLpZ1djrUlA9p5V9Z3VqTZN5qDSYs4Z8mfSz7xrwFuTA== |website=assured.se |date=2026-03-24 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
<ref name="schibsted-statement">{{Cite web |title=Schibsted Ad Choices announcement |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGKMjd0tRene7IShcwFL97ORarUtHLwAz_cDHzJ2V3BfRD_UP4LBwQzLsBWSemiNG7LER5h1Nb0Z5lKilSeGt77VkyYrPAi4vHYsoT4zNsiBjZZpKus7bVG90dEu7qiPmCRMrXoHNq_azOH3WxxJUJ1otUUp8904uuUHI-uHHERZUlZMygcnLqKIPZcc6ocX7wAFXaScZ7E2-H8Ubbo5diTjH0= |website=schibsted.com |date=2026-02-01 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
<ref name="schibsted-about">{{Cite web |title=About Schibsted |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGSWAf8_JDLmHJSIVisj2u8zsez6DOxMthlh4IWMLFEWYoZvKxVfQ4bwsx1Crd_CdsYOl8i2PuG6buFbqVLQx4G5RNcQmiwlLxJMokI |website=schibsted.com |date=2024-06-08 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
<ref name="europa-edpb">{{Cite web |title=Opinion 08/2024 on Valid Consent in the Context of Consent or Pay Models Implemented by Large Online Platforms |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHelf21M17OtW3-LiFONOziMXOHq2ytoA9C7Zt3kOqpbR_G87pj9Tw6jzSqhpEaqfEKvKTri43UysoPak1DYlXmycnwOxmXMP_PH2fQVxvgvZeYqPKJc0PubD-YC3eprT1SOJEaGirZekgwVKFKRQDgCfdR23_fIktSrpxoEJtlwvYhUJ7U7NsZXqPjxtk= |website=edpb.europa.eu |publisher=European Data Protection Board |date=2024-04-17 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
<ref name="simmons">{{Cite web |title=EDPB Opinion 08/2024 on consent or pay models |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFWAz913HGdT_IMkYGpWq_7Xzti4WgkfRag0qAdkrC1Z9WU7XYbNZ2OcbXKC7SqI4BOu3n1LDDDK4E39NdZe4_WYamhJUDlrt9ZbB46HTKTFtVA5foTAit3rz7Cs8478WzUBsOnI-1iCWePRO9S4BrGR-GYG1vFIa8ny86REta4nPETOiIISUg_KmRGqr-57N7CXYNrCeXJU4lY1fPAS-_C4178hjbf4qJS3xm-V2zivw7d521f5iYpjyu00U1Z |website=simmons-simmons.com |date=2024-04-18 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
<ref name="weil">{{Cite web |title=Consent or Pay models under the GDPR |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQER-cEk-JaR3hVNobkwiY_8WaS4rL5o5TWI-WyBykw54YBdTJ6LIWLcPViI7Z5OxcOmouKK7Tn4lyaIaBoznER1mJXq0tPpxGMLlscIfhnnujBq6iisVwelV7qHfOyIdEQVwT_Uz2OLtD_XeaEGv5if7Gpc2jG9k-VYKvdtTT4sw07xKpXzTP2gXo1n4Q-hCDE_yTR24kn50roW9151M14Fg1yM1vfcH6OtzsPn2iSXwupyZf9PHAj2iXoam17oiL8UcssMhAy1pIof-C-k |website=weil.com |date=2024-05-01 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
<ref name="m24">{{Cite web |title=Schibsted og betaling for personvern |url=https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQF5m8y8m4VtU0ga_Z0lhj0I38oOF4097xaw-g68DMFQLLwUxhEo3LGwFnZU7VZhobS4Sp0va3HySKhwwKuWO0BMLYFFT6TW0VSpaPrbd-lbgk7N6su2RX8he8OAHd25RMCmn9gEznc8YGNKG5idrnJTeuJDjqzvLqBRgdBrQW8crIcUzpkEr6eOx_vk-wy2njKUol6t7gyJxTS30dcMk1lQEwY9bFNixnqaH7tk9C4BiBKRF_ndDk3ZbjHiwcmPZZk= |website=medier24.no |date=2026-04-30 |access-date=2026-06-04}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:2026 incidents]]
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Schibsted]]
[[Category:General Data Protection Regulation]]

Schibsted "Pay or Okay" - Revision history

Louis: Incident: Schibsted 'Pay or Okay' cookie consent fee system; GDPR complaint filed June 3, 2026