Consent-or-pay: Difference between revisions
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#'''Pay''' a recurring fee, usually a small monthly amount, to access the service without tracking. | #'''Pay''' a recurring fee, usually a small monthly amount, to access the service without tracking. | ||
The practice generated significant debate among regulators<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Kelvin |date=2025-04-23 |title=The European Union hits Apple and Meta with 700 million euros in fines, first under digital rules |url=https://apnews.com/article/apple-iphone-meta-european-union-facebook-technology-7924bfffe1da801a5023057faa9a511b |website=The Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title=Commission sends preliminary findings to Meta over its “Pay or Consent” model for breach of the Digital Markets Act |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_3582 |publisher=European Comission |type=Press Release |publication-place=Brussels}}</ref>, policymakers<ref>{{Cite web |last=Illman |first=Erin Jane |date=2024-07-29 |title=Can Privacy Be Bought? How Scrutiny of Meta’s Subscription Model Has Wider Implications –PART II |url=https://natlawreview.com/article/can-privacy-be-bought-how-scrutiny-metas-subscription-model-has-wider-0 |website=The National Law Review}}</ref>, and consumer advocates<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=noyb files GDPR complaint against Meta over “Pay or Okay” |url=https://noyb.eu/en/noyb-files-gdpr-complaint-against-meta-over-pay-or-okay |website=noyb}}</ref> | The practice generated significant debate among regulators<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Kelvin |date=2025-04-23 |title=The European Union hits Apple and Meta with 700 million euros in fines, first under digital rules |url=https://apnews.com/article/apple-iphone-meta-european-union-facebook-technology-7924bfffe1da801a5023057faa9a511b |website=The Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title=Commission sends preliminary findings to Meta over its “Pay or Consent” model for breach of the Digital Markets Act |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_3582 |publisher=European Comission |type=Press Release |publication-place=Brussels}}</ref>, policymakers<ref>{{Cite web |last=Illman |first=Erin Jane |date=2024-07-29 |title=Can Privacy Be Bought? How Scrutiny of Meta’s Subscription Model Has Wider Implications –PART II |url=https://natlawreview.com/article/can-privacy-be-bought-how-scrutiny-metas-subscription-model-has-wider-0 |website=The National Law Review}}</ref>, and consumer advocates<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=noyb files GDPR complaint against Meta over “Pay or Okay” |url=https://noyb.eu/en/noyb-files-gdpr-complaint-against-meta-over-pay-or-okay |website=noyb}}</ref>, and it is viewed as undermining meaningful consent. Despite controversy, the model is being increasingly adopted by large online platforms and news organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-24 |title=noyb's Pay or Okay report: how companies make you pay for privacy |url=https://noyb.eu/en/noybs-pay-or-okay-report-how-companies-make-you-pay-privacy |website=noyb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=noyb's Pay or Okay report |url=https://noyb.eu/sites/default/files/2025-07/Pay_or_Okay_Report_2025_web.pdf |publisher=[[noyb]] |pages=9, 27}}</ref> As of August 2025, 16 of the 50 largest UK news websites had implemented consent-or-pay.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press Gazette, More UK news publishers are adopting ‘consent or pay’ advertising model |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/marketing/consent-or-pay-uk-publishers-advertising-2025/}}</ref> | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
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===Criticisms from policymakers=== | ===Criticisms from policymakers=== | ||
In 2024, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) published an opinion on "Valid Consent in the Context of Consent or Pay Models Implemented by Large Online Platforms." The EDPB denotes that the consent-or-pay model does not constitute as valid consent and that appropriate alternative measures to the model should provide users with an "equivalent alternative." Additionally, they say that if a company wishes to use a payment model, then the opposing equivalent alternative should not involve processing personal data. Any choice in which users feel compelled to consent does not qualify as valid consent.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=EDPB: ‘Consent or Pay’ models should offer real choice |url=https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2024/edpb-consent-or-pay-models-should-offer-real-choice_en |website=European Data Protection Board}}</ref> | In 2024, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) published an opinion on "Valid Consent in the Context of Consent or Pay Models Implemented by Large Online Platforms." The EDPB denotes that the consent-or-pay model does not constitute as valid consent and that appropriate alternative measures to the model should provide users with an "equivalent alternative." Additionally, they say that if a company wishes to use a payment model, then the opposing equivalent alternative should not involve processing personal data. Any choice in which users feel compelled to consent does not qualify as valid consent.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=17 April 2024 |title=EDPB: ‘Consent or Pay’ models should offer real choice |url=https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2024/edpb-consent-or-pay-models-should-offer-real-choice_en |website=European Data Protection Board}}</ref> | ||
Anu Talus, Chair of the EDPB, said:<blockquote>“Online platforms should give users a real choice when employing ‘consent or pay’ models. The models we have today usually require individuals to either give away all their data or to pay. As a result most users consent to the processing in order to use a service, and they do not understand the full implications of their choices.”<ref name=":0" /></blockquote> | Anu Talus, Chair of the EDPB, said:<blockquote>“Online platforms should give users a real choice when employing ‘consent or pay’ models. The models we have today usually require individuals to either give away all their data or to pay. As a result most users consent to the processing in order to use a service, and they do not understand the full implications of their choices.”<ref name=":0" /></blockquote> | ||