WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) announced that users in the EU will have the option to unlink their Instagram and Facebook accounts and other Meta services. This is in anticipation of the bloc's new Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will take effect in March.
The changes will allow EU users to use many of Meta's services without having their data shared across platforms. For example, users will be able to use Facebook Messenger as a standalone service without a Facebook account. Those who have previously linked their Facebook and Instagram accounts will have the option to unlink them.
Moreover, users of Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Gaming will also be able to access these services without accessing information from their primary Facebook accounts. However, Meta has stated that this will result in reduced functionality.
Meta will begin sending notifications to users in the region where the law applies, offering them more flexibility in how they use its services. This includes the ability to prevent Meta from combining data on their use of Facebook and Instagram. The DMA applies to six major tech companies, predominantly from the US, including Meta. These companies are designated as 'gatekeepers.'
In addition to governing how gatekeepers can share data between services, the DMA encompasses a wide array of regulations aimed at enhancing competition and creating a level playing field for businesses that depend on gatekeepers to provide their services.
Other significant expected changes in the EU resulting from the DMA include making messaging services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger interoperable with competitors, and compelling Apple to open up iOS to sideloading.
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